Tensions in the Red Sea: Houthi Attacks on Shipping Lanes

The Iran-aligned Houthi movement recently targeted the Contship Ono and two U.S. destroyers in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. While the attacks missed their marks, the ongoing assaults on shipping lanes have caused significant operational disruptions and potential geopolitical destabilization in the Middle East.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement announced on Wednesday that it had attempted to strike the Contship Ono in the Red Sea and two U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Aden. However, Contships Management confirmed that the vessel remained intact and its crew unharmed.

The Houthi group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said the container ship, Contship Ono, was targeted with ballistic missiles and drones. According to the Athens-based company's statement to Reuters, there had been no incident affecting the ship's operations.

Since November, Iranian-backed Houthi militants have been conducting repeated drone and missile strikes on ships navigating the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab strait, and Gulf of Aden. These attacks, purportedly in support of Palestinians in the Gaza war, have forced reroutes and escalated fears of greater regional instability.

The frequency of these strikes reduced after Israel targeted military sites near Yemen's Hodeidah port on July 20. Recently, the Houthis claimed an attack on the Liberian-flagged MV Groton in the Gulf of Aden, marking the first such incident in two weeks.

(With inputs from agencies.)