US Navy thwarts latest Houthi attack
The Iran-backed rebel group said it fired 16 missiles at three US-flagged vessels and their naval escort
US Central Command said it ‘successfully’ defeated a range of Houthi weapons, which the rebel group said were targeted at a bulk carrier, product tanker and containership
TWO US Navy destroyers successfully repelled a Houthi attack on three US-flagged merchant ships, US Central Command said.
The Iran-backed rebel group claimed to have fired 16 missiles at the convoy transiting through the Red Sea, which included the 49,737 dwt Stena Group-owned product tanker Stena Impeccable (IMO: 9693020), the 2,096 teu, Maersk-owned boxship Maersk Saratoga (IMO: 9289207) and the 50,601 dwt bulk carrier Liberty Grace (IMO: 9228148).
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare’e said the attack involved 16 ballistic and winged missiles and a drone and was “accurate and direct”.
But Centcom refuted this and said destroyers USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane successfully repelled three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones and an anti-ship cruise missile.
The Houthis claimed to have attacked Maersk Saratoga in March 2024, but a Maersk spokesperson denied the incident.
Sare’e claimed all three vessels had links to the “American army”. As reported by Lloyd’s List, Stena Impeccable joined the US government’s Tanker Security programme, a Department of Transportation scheme which makes US-flagged tankers available to supply the armed forces in times of emergency.
Download the Lloyd’s List App — the essential tool for staying ahead in the maritime industry, anytime, anywhere! Available now on the App Store and Google Play. More information here
