The Yemeni rebels Houthi launched last Tuesday night two missiles against merchant ships in the Red Sea, near the strategic Bab el Madeb strait, the US military confirmed, a few hours after the first information about the attacks, made public by the British Maritime Security Office (UKMTO).

Initially, the UKMTO spoke of up to three explosions at a short distance of “1 to 5 nautical miles” from a ship located between the coasts of Eritrea and Yemen, clarifying that there was no damage and the crew was “safe”.

For its part, the joint command of the US armed forces in charge of the Middle East region (CENTCOM, “central command”), reported through X (the former Twitter) that the Houthis launched two anti-surface ballistic missiles (ASBMs ) in a zone in the southern part of the Red Sea, where several ships were located, without, however, reporting “no damage”.

This is the 24th incident of this nature since mid-NovemberCENTCOM clarified on the eve of (today’s) UN Security Council meeting in which member states, according to French diplomatic sources, are likely to discuss the Houthi attacks.

In recent weeks, amid the Israel/Hamas war, Yemeni rebels have stepped up attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab el Madeb strait, through which 12% of world trade passes, according to the International Chamber of Commerce Shipping (ICS).

The Iran-backed Houthis, like Hamas, have warned that they will target ships transiting the Red Sea if they have any “connection” to Israel, in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Missiles and drones of Shiite rebels have been shot down by US, French and British warships that patrol the zone.

According to the US Pentagon, the Houthis, who control much of Yemeni territory, including the country’s capital, have launched dozens of drone and missile attacks, targeting around ten merchant ships. These attacks involved more than 35 countries.

The Houthis’ actions, which threaten to cause serious disruption to international trade flows, prompted the US government to announce the creation of an ad hoc international military coalition to protect navigation in the Red Sea.

On Sunday, the US military reported sinking three Houthi vessels after attacks on a Maersk (Denmark) container ship. Ten insurgents were killed, according to a spokesman for the Shiite movement.