The Houthis struck a US-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden. While the ship is US-owned, it is flagged as a Marshall Islands vessel.
The Marshall Islands are a sovereign state that have voluntarily become a US vassal state. In turn, the US is obligated to defend them and their interests at sea. Fox News says:
A U.S.-owned ship in the Gulf of Aden was hit by a missile fired from Yemen on Monday, U.S. officials said.
The U.S. Central Command identified the vessel as the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier. The ship is owned by Eagle Bulk, a Stamford, Connecticut-based shipping firm.
The Houthis continue to justify their blockade on the Israeli invasion of Gaza. They would likely not stop attacking unless Palestine became a sovereign state, or their capabilities were degraded. The NY Times continues:
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement on Monday that the group had carried out a military operation targeting an American ship in the Gulf of Aden with “a number” of missiles. The Houthis acted “in defense of the Palestinian people in Gaza, who are being exposed, until this moment, to the most horrific type of massacres by the Zionist entity,” he said.
The group considers “all American and British ships” to be enemy targets, he said, and warned that its response “is coming.”
The Houthi blockade is a major problem for global shipping. Another issue is that it ties down American forces, who do not have the capabilities to respond everywhere at the same time. What would happen if China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea all launched attacks within a few days of each other?
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