An American cargo ship was struck by a missile fired by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels on Monday off the coast of Yemen, U.S. military officials said.
The ship, the Gibraltar Eagle, was slightly damaged but is seaworthy and leaving the region, according to Eagle Bulk Shipping, the Connecticut-based company that owns the ship.
The Associated Press reported that the Gibraltar Eagle was hit by the missile as it navigated toward the Suez Canal through the Gulf of Aden in the Red Sea, about 110 miles southeast of the Yemeni city of Aden.
“All seafarers onboard the vessel are confirmed to be uninjured,” Eagle Bulk Shipping said. “The vessel is carrying a cargo of steel products. Eagle Bulk management is in close contact with all relevant authorities concerning this matter.”
The Houthis had not taken credit for striking the Gibraltar Eagle as of Monday afternoon, but U.S. Central Command blamed the group and confirmed that the missile was fired from Yemen.
U.S. Central Command also said another missile was fired, but it failed and hit the ground in Yemen.
On Jan. 15 at approximately 4 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi militants fired an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, a Marshall Islands-flagged, U.S.-owned and operated container ship. The ship has… pic.twitter.com/gixEMaUiVT
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 15, 2024
The U.S. Maritime Administration issued an advisory to American ships warning of “a high degree of risk to commercial vessels” traveling near Yemen.
“While the decision to transit remains at the discretion of individual vessels and companies, it is recommended that U.S. flag and U.S.-owned commercial vessels” stay away from the area “until further notice,” the notice said.
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Monday’s attack on an American civilian vessel came a day after Houthi rebels operating in Yemen fired a missile at an American military ship.
The projectile missed its target, USS Laboon, and no damage or injuries were reported.
Last week, the U.S. military targeted Houthi militants in Yemen in response to the group’s ongoing attacks against commercial ships.
The Houthis have also fired missiles at Israel in recent months as the country fights Islamic terrorism in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.
