The US military said Thursday it destroyed two patrol boats, one unmanned Houthis boat and one drone in the Red Sea, as part of efforts to reduce the capabilities of the Iran-backed group, reports Reuters, quoted by News.bg.
The Houthis, who control the most densely populated areas in Yemen, attacked the cargo ship Verbena in the Arabian Sea, as well as the Seaguardian and Athina in the Red Sea. The attack on the Palau-flagged Verbena caused a fire and seriously injured one crew member. The vessel is sailing from Thailand to the Italian port of Venice. The vessel is Ukrainian property.
Two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen caused no damage or injuries.
The Houthi campaign has disrupted global shipping, forcing companies to divert sailings to longer and more expensive routes around southern Africa. The Iran-backed group's actions have sparked fears that the war in Gaza could spill over and destabilize the wider Middle East.
The US and Britain have previously carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to attacks on shipping.
The Greek ship MV Tutor was attacked with a drone bomb, a Houthi spokesman said. The UK's Maritime Trade Organization said the ship was struck off the coast of Hodeidah by a small white craft.
Last week, Iran-backed rebels detained 11 UN staff in Yemen. The United States' ambassador to Yemen, Stephen Feigin, condemned the detentions, calling them "shocking".
The United States has called on the Yemeni Houthis to immediately release the detained staff of international organizations. Among those detained are also employees of the US Embassy in Sana'a.
The Defense Intelligence Agency said that since mid-February traffic through the Red Sea has decreased by 90 percent, according to a report released Thursday.
From November to March 18 ships were attacked by Houthi forces.