Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for six attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including an attempted strike on the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier and another on an American destroyer.
It marks the second claimed attack on the Eisenhower in just two days, as tensions escalate in the region.
Houthi forces, affiliated with the Ansar Allah movement that receives military backing from Iran, have been waging a campaign against shipping in the region since November when they hijacked a roll-on roll-off pure care truck carrier (PCTC) near Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Since then, the PCTC remains captured on the Red Sea coast of Yemen, presumably at the Port of Al-Hudaydah.
Rebel leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has, since then, through several of his cohorts, said that the violent disruption of sea trade south of the Suez Canal won’t stop unless Israel ceases all hostilities against Hamas in Gaza.
He has also threatened to expand his militia attacks into the southern Indian Ocean with the intent of also disrupting east-west ocean freight sailing around South Africa.
The attacks have resulted in significant disruptions to global trade, with over 50 attacks launched by the Houthis, resulting in the deaths of three sailors and the seizure of the Galaxy Leader and its crew.
The latest attacks were reported on Saturday, with the Houthis claiming to have targeted multiple vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The Eisenhower was reportedly the target of one of these attacks, although the US military has not officially confirmed the incident.
An American destroyer was also targeted by the Houthis.
The attacks come in response to recent strikes by the US and UK against militia targets in Yemen.
Combined forces of the US and UK have been conducting airstrikes against the Houthis to degrade their ability to attack shipping in the region.
However, the Houthis have continued to launch attacks, including a missile strike on the Eisenhower on Friday, which was claimed by the group as a response to the US and UK strikes.
International leaders have condemned the escalation of violence.
Iranian officials have criticised the US and UK strikes as "violations of Yemen's sovereignty and territorial integrity, international laws, and human rights”.
The US and UK have justified their actions as necessary to protect their forces and ensure freedom of navigation in the region.
The ongoing conflict in the region has significant implications for global trade, with the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden being critical waterways for international commerce.
The disruption to shipping has resulted in increased costs and longer routes for many vessels, impacting approximately 12% of global trade.
