An anti-ship ballistic missile was fired Thursday from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen toward international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, according to the US military.
“On Jan. 11 at approximately 2 a.m. ‘Sanaa time’, the Iranian-backed Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen into international shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden,” US Central Command, or CENTCOM, wrote on X.
One commercial vessel reported visually observed the missile hitting the water, it said, adding there were no injuries or damage reported.
“This is the 27th Houthi attack on international shipping since Nov 19,” said CENTOM.
The attack comes one day after the UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning and demanding an immediate halt to attacks by the Houthis on ships in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have targeted vessels in the southern Red Sea and warned they will attack all Israeli-bound ships. They said the attacks are meant to support Palestinians as they face Israel’s “aggression and siege” in Gaza.
The Red Sea is one of the world’s most frequently used sea routes for oil and fuel shipments.
Last month, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the creation of a multinational mission to counter Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.