Iran has sent a warship to the Red Sea a day after the United States announced it had destroyed “Iranian-backed Houthi small boats” that were attempting to attack a shipping vessel.
The warship passed the Bab el-Mandeb strait and entered the Red Sea on Monday, according to Iranian state media, in a potential escalation of tensions in one of the key shipping routes in the world.
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The action by Iran was revealed one day after an announcement by U.S. Central Command that it had taken out three Houthi boats, which originated in parts of Yemen controlled by the group and were attempting to attack the Maersk Hangzhou as it made its way through the southern part of the Red Sea on Sunday.
“The small boats, originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, fired crew served and small arms weapons at the MAERSK HANGZHOU, getting to within 20 meters of the vessel, and attempted to board the vessel,” U.S. Central Command said in a post on X on Sunday.
U.S. Central Command said that it took out three of the four small boats, killing all crew members on board the Houthi vessels, but the fourth boat was able to flee. It also said that no “U.S. personnel or equipment” was damaged in the attacks.
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The Houthis have been attacking vessels in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas terrorist attacks against the Jewish state on Oct. 7, 2023.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian praised the Houthis on Monday for their “strong and authoritative” position “in support of the Palestinian people,” according to Iranian state media.
