Houthi Missile Strikes Minervagracht

Yemen's Houthis launched a missile attack on the Dutch-flagged cargo ship Netherlands — Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden, causing a fire, substantial damage, and injuring two mariners. The crew of 19, from the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine, were forced to abandon the vessel and were subsequently rescued by a helicopter. This attack, which the Houthis later claimed responsibility for, citing alleged violations of an 'entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine' by the ship's owner, Spliethoff, marks a significant expansion of Houthi operations beyond the Red Sea. The incident is part of the Houthis' ongoing campaign against shipping and Israel in response to the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The attack highlights escalating maritime risks in the region, which has already seen disruptions to Red Sea shipping routes and increased geopolitical tensions following the United Nations' reimposition of sanctions on Iran.