Yemen's Houthi group on Friday claimed responsibility for launching a missile attack on a U.S. ship in the Gulf of Aden.
"The naval forces of
the Yemeni Armed Forces (Houthi) carried out an attack targeting U.S. ship (Chem Ranger) in the Gulf of Aden with several appropriate naval missiles, and the hit was accurate," Yahya Sarea, Houthi military spokesman, said in a statement broadcast by the group's al-Masirah TV.
"The Yemeni Armed Forces (Houthi) confirm that a retaliation to the American and British attacks is inevitable and that any new aggression will not go unpunished," the spokesman said.
The attacks "will continue until a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza Strip is imposed, and the siege is lifted," Sarea said, adding that their escalation comes in support of the Palestinians.
In a statement on Thursday, the U.S. Central Command said that the U.S. Navy forces stationing in the Red Sea conducted defensive strikes on two Houthi antiship missiles that were aimed into the southern Red Sea.
Alos on Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden said his administration returned the Houthi armed group to the "terrorist" list, and the decision will take effect next month if the Houthis don't stop threatening the shipping lines.
In response, Houthi chief of negotiators Mohammed Abdulsalam denounced the re-designation of his group as for "political purposes."
