Iranian-Backed Houthis Strike 4 Ships: Indian Ocean, Red Sea Hit

Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched a targeted drone attack on the MSC Orion container ship in the Indian Ocean, aligning with their ongoing campaign against international shipping as a display of solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israel's military actions in Gaza, according to Reuters.

The report, citing LSEG data, reveals that the Portugal-flagged MSC Orion was voyaging between Sines, Portugal, and Salalah, Oman. Owned by Zodiac Maritime, partially by Israeli businessman Eyal Ofer, the vessel has become a focal point amid escalating tensions.

Since November, Houthi militants, supported by Iran, have conducted multiple drone and missile strikes in strategic maritime regions including the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. These attacks have compelled shipping companies to divert cargo, increasing costs and raising fears of broader destabilization in the Middle East.

The Houthi leader, in March, declared an expansion of their strike zone, aiming to obstruct ships with



Israeli connections from traversing the Indian Ocean towards the Cape of Good Hope.

In a televised statement early Tuesday, a Houthi spokesperson disclosed additional targets, including the Cyclades commercial vessel and two U.S. destroyers in the Red Sea.

Reports from the British maritime security company Ambrey detail a separate incident involving a Malta-flagged container ship hit by three missiles while en route from Djibouti to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Houthis claimed the Cyclades was within their intended path when the attack occurred.

Simultaneously, the Houthis launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen into the Red Sea, resulting in minor damage to the Andromeda Star oil tanker, confirmed by the US Central Command on April 27. The vessel, originating from Primorsk, Russia, was bound for Vadinar port in Gujarat.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations security agency confirmed the attacks southwest of the Yemeni port of Mokha, reporting a secondary strike with two missiles on the vessel.