Houthis strike Iran-bound cargo ship in Red Sea

In yet another attack on the Red Sea, the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists launched two missiles from Yemen toward the Bab al-Mandeb. This is the latest in the string of attacks launched by the Yemeni rebel group since Israel launched a war against Gaza in October last year. As per information provided by the US Central Command, the two missiles hit MV Star Iris, a Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel transiting the Red Sea carrying corn from Brazil. “The ship reports being seaworthy with minor damage and no injuries to the crew. Of note, the MV Star Iris’s destination is Bandar Iman Khomeini, Iran,” the US Central Command said in a statement.

Houthi Attack in Bab al-Mandeb

On Feb. 12 from 3:30 to 3:45 a.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired two missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the Bab al-Mandeb. Both missiles were launched toward MV Star Iris, a Greek-owned, Marshall… pic.twitter.com/vfihRaw0rr

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 13, 2024

The Bab-el-Mandeb is a strait between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. Moreover, it connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and, by extension, the Indian Ocean. “The Star Iris, like every Iran-bound bulker, had not diverted away from the Red Sea, perhaps unafraid of attacks from Iran-backed Houthis who could be considered ‘friendly’ given the vessel’s destination,” said Ishan Bhanu, lead agricultural commodities analyst at Kpler.

“At a projected 4.5 million tonnes for this year, flows from Brazil make for the majority of Iran’s corn imports.”

Last week, the Houthis attacked two ships, one of them bound for India, in the Red Sea. The attacks have prompted several companies to halt Red Sea journeys and opt for a longer and more expensive route around Africa, and US and British warplanes have carried out retaliatory strikes across Yemen. With inputs from Reuters