Middle East crisis: Houthis hit cargo ship with missile off Yemen

A container ship sailing through Yemeni waters was struck Monday by a rocket launched by Houthi fighters, Western officials said, days after U.K. and U.S. navies began strikes against the Iran-backed militant group.

According to U.S. Central Command, the anti-ship ballistic missile hit the Gibraltar Eagle, a Marshall Islands-flagged dry bulk carrier operated by a firm from Connecticut. "The ship has reported no injuries or significant damage and is continuing its journey," CENTCOM said.

In an earlier statement, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations center said that the incident had taken place 95 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen, close to the port of Aden. According to the message, the vessel was "hit from above" and authorities are now investigating.

Yahya Sarea, a spokesperson for the Houthi movement, later confirmed the group claimed responsibility for the attack and said all U.S and U.K. vessels would be considered targets. "The American and British attack is inevitably coming, and any new attack will not remain without response and punishment," he said.

On Friday, U.S. and British navies began a series of strikes against sites linked to Houthi rebels inside the Gulf nation, destroying weapons stores and radar stations with precision munitions in the wake of a campaign by the militant group to disrupt civilian vessels in the Red Sea.

While the Shia rebel organization claims it is only harassing shipping linked to Israel amid its war on Hamas in Gaza, dozens of cargo ships and tankers have been targeted, with fears growing for global trade in goods and energy.

According to British intelligence firm Ambrey, the vessel has no obvious links to Israel, and was likely attacked in retribution for the American-led strikes on the Houthis.

In comments to POLITICO, Eagle Bulk, which operates the ship, confirmed it had been carrying a cargo of steel products and, "as a result of the impact, the vessel suffered limited damage to a cargo hold but is stable and is heading out of the area."

This story has been updated.