New York Times: Houthi attacks on commercial ships sparked international outrage and growing diplomatic condemnation

The New York Times reported that Houthi attacks on commercial ships have increasingly angered international actors and drawn condemnation from diplomats, with the US Central Command announcing on Friday that it had struck Houthi targets in Yemen, including “Houthi offensive military capabilities,” in an attempt to secure international waterways.

The newspaper reported that the US Central Command regularly announces measures against the armed group, noting the importance of the Red Sea as a major trade route between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. It said that since the strikes began, many ships have been forced to reroute. And those who did not pay a heavy price, sometimes.

Ships have been hit and damaged, some sailors have been kidnapped and held for months, while others have died or been injured in Houthi attacks. In August, a Houthi attack on a Greek oil tanker threatened to become an environmental disaster as the burning vessel remained at sea for weeks, with militia members threatening tugboats that tried to rescue it. The ship was towed to safety in mid-September.

Attacks on commercial shipping have been met with counterstrikes by the US and British military before. Between January and May, the two countries’ militaries carried out at least five joint strikes against the Houthis in response to attacks on shipping.

In August, after the Houthis said they had targeted U.S. warships, the U.S. military responded. Last week, the Houthis made a similar claim, and now they appear to have received the same response.

The latest US strikes come as tensions in the Middle East have risen sharply following Israel's assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, its expanded operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and an escalating conflict with Iran, which fired a barrage of some 200 rockets at Israel on Tuesday in response to the assassination of some of its affiliated leaders.