Iran-Backed Houthis Claim To Attack Six Ships in Three Seas

"At approximately 19:30 pm, the Israeli enemy launched an air aggression from the direction of Lebanese territory, targeting a site in the central region and a residential building in Baniyas ... leading to the death of a girl, the injury of ten civilians," the source was quoted as saying.

Syrian state media reported earlier on Wednesday that the country's air defenses had intercepted "hostile targets" over Homs, without giving further details.

There was no immediate word on the incidents from Israel, which typically does not comment on specific reports of strikes in Syria.

For years Israel has been carrying out attacks against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war that started in 2011.

Reported Israeli strikes on Syria have intensified sharply since the start of the war in Gaza last October.

In April, Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel after a presumed Israeli strike that destroyed a building in Iran's embassy compound in Damascus and killed several Iranian officers including a top general.

(Report by Reuters)

Maritime security and shipping sources earlier in day identified vessel as the Marshall Islands-flagged Laax.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks in the Red Sea region since November after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Muslims to blockade Israel trade. Houthis since have expanded to the Indian Ocean.

They have sunk one ship, seized another vessel, killed two crew members and disrupted global shipping by forcing vessels to avoid the nearby Suez Canal and reroute trade around Africa.

The attacks have disrupted the strategic Red Sea lanes, that are the shortest shipping route from Asia to Europe. The United States and Britain launched several air strikes on Houthi military targets, but the attacks against shipping continue.

Crew members involved in Tuesday's attacks are safe and their vessel is proceeding to its next port of call, the UK maritime security body said in the updated incident report. The ship's next scheduled port of call was in the United Arab Emirates.

The additional damage occurred 33 nautical miles northwest of Al Mukha, Yemen, the report said.

The Laax issued a distress call earlier on Tuesday, saying it had sustained damage to the cargo hold and was taking on water about 54 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, British security firm Ambrey said.

Greek shipping sources said the Laax was sailing to a port nearby to assess the extent of the damage. Reuters was not immediately able to determine if that was in the UAE.

Its Greece-based operator Grehel Ship Management did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

As an Iranian proxy group, the Houthis began attacking maritime commercial traffic in mid-November after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Muslim countries to blockade Israel. The attacks were first limited to the Red Sea but later expanded to the Indian Ocean.

The ship issued a distress call, saying it had sustained damage to the cargo hold and was taking on water about 54 nautical miles southwest of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, British security firm Ambrey said.

Greek shipping sources said the vessel, which bears the name Laax, was sailing to a port nearby to assess the extent of the damage. It was headed to the United Arab Emirates.

Its Greece-based operator Grehel Ship management did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said separately on Tuesday that it had received a report of an incident 31 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah.

The ship was hit by missiles and sustained damage, reporting an impact in the water in close proximity to the vessel, UKMTO said, adding that the crew were reported safe and the vessel was proceeding to its next port of call.

As an Iranian proxy group, the Houthis began attacking maritime commercial traffic in mid-November after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Muslim countries to blockade Israel. The attacks were first limited to the Red Sea but later expanded to the Indian Ocean.

The Houthi military spokesman, Yahya Saree, said the ships were the Larego Desert and the MSC Mechela in the Indian Ocean, and the Minerva Lisa in the Red Sea. He did not name the destroyers or specify when the alleged attacks took place.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a statement on Monday only referring to one “uncrewed aerial system (UAS) stating that warships had destroyed it.

“At approximately 4 a.m. (Sanaa time) on May 27, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed one uncrewed aerial system (UAS) over the Red Sea, launched from an Iranian-backed Houthi controlled area of Yemen. It was determined the UAS presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels in the region,” the US statement said.

The Houthi’s claim of a much larger attack could not be independently confirmed.

As an Iranian proxy group, the Houthis began attacking maritime commercial traffic in mid-November after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called on Muslim countries to blockade Israel. The attacks were first limited to the Red Sea but later expanded to the Indian Ocean. Dozens of attacks have reduced international shipping through the Red Sea, the shortest route between Aisa and Europe.

The sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi last week in a helicopter crash briefly weakened the national currency, but it recovered surprisingly fast, although it is far from pre-January levels.

The rial, which was trading at around 510,000 per dollar in December 2023, began to fall steadily from early January as tensions rose in the Middle East and Tehran continued to threaten Israel. By mid-March it was trading at around 600,000 to the dollar but fell to 670,000 as Israel attacked Iran’s diplomatic compound in Damascus on April 1.

Two top Revolutionary Guard generals and five other key officers were killed when Israeli missiles flattened a building near the embassy, prompting Iran to vow revenge, and Israel threatening to retaliate.

This raised the likelihood of both an economic and a political crisis for Tehran’s rulers, as the specter of more inflation on top of the current 50-percent annual rate sparked a sense of panic.

Tehran finally delivered on its promise by launching more than 300 drones and missiles against Israel on April 13-14, 99% of which were shot down by Israeli air defenses and allied warplanes.

However, the Israeli response a few days later was very limited and measured, gradually dissipating the fears of a major confrontation.

By late April, the rial began to rise and by mid-May the dollar fell to around 580,000 rials in Tehran’s black market, meaning a strong come back for the rial from the April lows. It has stayed at that level for almost two weeks.

Although the reduction of tensions with Israel is seen by analysts as the main reason for rial’s rebound, government intervention in the markets is always a factor in Tehran.

There are limited sources for the black market to obtain hard currencies, such as US dollars, euros, British pounds or Canadian dollars. The black market’s cash currency flows are mostly from small or individual sources. As a result, when the rial falls sharply and the government decides to intervene, it injects a few tens of millions of US dollars’ worth of hard currencies into the market.

The amount and frequency of these interventions are usually treated as state secrets, but occasionally hints appear in the media.

However, bad news about higher prices for consumers continue to be sporadically reported in Tehran media and on social media. Usually, it takes a few weeks for rial’s fall to impact prices and the annual inflation rate. Local media have reported in the past two weeks have that housing costs and food prices have been rising, with a middle-class family now forced to pay at least $250 a month for rent, which is more than ordinary salaries. Consumption of meat also continues to decline, as one kilogram of meat could cost 5% or more of monthly wages.

The new president, to be elected at the end of June, will face the monumental task of addressing economic challenges that have become increasingly difficult due to ongoing oil-export and banking restrictions. Without exceeding roughly $70 billion in oil exports, the government continually faces significant budget deficits and is forced to print money.