CENTCOM Statement:
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has confirmed that a Houthi explosive drone struck the American owned and operated bulk carrier M/V Genco Picardy earlier today in the Gulf of Aden.
“There were no injuries and some damage reported. M/V Genco Picardy is seaworthy and continuing underway,” CENTCOM also reported.
At approximately 8:30 pm (Sanaa time) Jan. 17, an assessed one-way attack UAS was launched from Houthi controlled areas in Yemen and struck M/V Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden. M/V Genco Picardy is a Marshall Islands flagged, U.S. owned and operated bulk carrier ship.
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— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 17, 2024
Houthi Statement:
Earlier today, the Houthis released a statement that its forces “carried out a targeting operation against the American ship (Genco Picardy) in the Gulf of Aden with a number of suitable naval missiles, and the hit was accurate and direct, thanks to God.”
“The Yemeni Armed Forces confirm that a response to the American and British attacks is inevitably coming, and that any new attack will not remain without response and punishment,” the statement added.
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Why it Matters:
The attack came just hours after the United States redesigned the Houthis as a terrorist organization, citing their continued attacks against commercial shipping vessels in the region despite warnings and strikes by American naval forces.
In a statement, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the attacks “have endangered U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, and our partners, jeopardized global trade, and threatened freedom of navigation,” adding that “This designation is an important tool to impede terrorist funding to the Houthis, further restrict their access to financial markets, and hold them accountable for their actions.”
The Houthis have maintained that they are only targeting Israeli vessels or vessels heading to Israeli ports, adding that attacks “will not stop until the aggression stops and the siege imposed on the steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted.”
As stated previously, Israel has shown no signs of stopping military operations in Gaza, having pledged to completely destroy Hamas. With that being said, the Houthis have shown no signs of stopping attacks because of this.