Yemen's Houthis claim new Red Sea attack as shipping prices soar

Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the latest attack on a merchant ship in the Red Sea, as the vessel's operator sharply raised prices between Asia and Europe.

The Iran-backed movement, who have launched more than 20 attacks on merchant ships in recent weeks, said they attacked the Malta-flagged freighter Wednesday believing it was headed for occupied Palestinian territory. The ship was not hit.

The Houthis, who control much of Yemen and have been fighting a civil war since 2014, say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians because of Israel's war on Gaza.

"The naval forces of the Yemeni armed forces carried out an operation targeting the ship CMA CGM TAGE which was travelling towards the ports of occupied Palestine," said a Houthi statement published on X, formerly Twitter.

The Houthi attacks centered on the Red Sea's Bab al-Mandeb southern chokepoint, have disrupted shipping in a waterway that carries about 12 percent of global trade.

After the latest attack, French operator CMA CGM announced a big hike in prices, with a 40-foot container between Asia and the western Mediterranean doubling from $3,000 to $6,000.

Italian-Swiss company MSC has also raised prices as ships are diverted around southern Africa rather than traverse the Red Sea, which is linked to the Mediterranean by the Suez Canal.

On Tuesday, Danish shipping giant Maersk extended a suspension of services through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, south of Yemen, "until further notice".

The Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles toward merchant ships near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait late on Tuesday, the US military said earlier.

United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations had initially reported explosions near a cargo ship sailing between the coasts of Eritrea and Yemen.

In a school in Rafah, housing hundreds of displaced Gazans including children, al-Nuaimi saw the devastation and pain that those children are undergoing.

An English teacher, he decided to revive the school's spirit by providing English lessons to those children👇 pic.twitter.com/OY7xPL8nkD

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) January 2, 2024

"Master reports no damage to the vessel and crew are reported safe at present," the agency, run by Britain's Royal Navy, said in a brief message.

None of the commercial ships nearby reported any damage, the US Central Command said, adding that it was the 24th attack since 19 November against commercial shipping in the area.

"These illegal actions endangered the lives of dozens of innocent mariners and continue to disrupt the free flow of international commerce," CENTCOM said on X.

The Houthis have warned they will target ships in the Red Sea that have links to Israel. Several of their missiles and drones have been shot down by US, French and British warships.

In response to the attacks, the US has set up a multinational naval task force to protect Red Sea shipping.

On Sunday, the US military said it had sunk three Houthi boats following attacks on a Maersk container ship. The group said 10 of their fighters were killed in the incident.