This recent missile launch adds to a series of aggressive maneuvers by the Houthis, including strikes on both commercial and navy ships in international waters …reports Asian Lite News
Yemen’s ongoing conflict took a dangerous turn as Houthi militants launched a ballistic missile over the Gulf of Aden on Sunday, prompting concern from the US military. Despite this escalation, no coalition or commercial vessels reported being struck by the missile.
The Houthi militia, backed by Iran, has been intensifying attacks on Yemeni government forces across the nation. While the Houthis did not immediately claim responsibility for fresh assaults on Monday, their pattern suggests acknowledgment of such actions in the days following.
This recent missile launch adds to a series of aggressive maneuvers by the Houthis, including strikes on both commercial and navy ships in international waters near Yemen and the Indian Ocean. These attacks, purportedly in support of Palestine, have seen the deployment of ballistic missiles, drones, and drone boats since November.
In a concerning incident, a Greek-owned oil tanker narrowly avoided being hit by a Houthi ballistic missile in the Red Sea on Saturday. This near-miss underscores the grave threat posed by the ongoing conflict to maritime security in the region.
Meanwhile, the toll on Yemeni government troops continues to rise, with four soldiers killed in clashes with the Houthis in Taiz province on Monday. This brings the total number of government soldiers killed in Houthi attacks to 11 in less than a week, highlighting the intensity of the ongoing fighting.
In Sanaa, the Houthi militia held a military burial procession for two of their fighters killed in clashes with government forces. Such events have become tragically routine since the UN-brokered ceasefire in April 2022.
Despite these grim developments, efforts for peace persist. Yemen’s Defense Minister met with the UN Yemen envoy’s military adviser in Aden to discuss Houthi attacks, peace initiatives, and the smuggling of Iranian weapons to the Houthis through Hodeidah port.
Meanwhile, UN experts called on the Houthis to release five members of the Bahai religious minority and cease persecution of religious minorities under their control. The Houthis have held these individuals captive for a year, despite international pleas for their release.
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