In a televised address, Yemen’s Houthi movement announced it had conducted two attacks on a vessel they referred to as the ‘Chrysalis’.
The strikes, which utilized ballistic missiles and bomb-laden drones, targeted the ship in the Red Sea and the strategically significant Bab al-Mandab Strait, according to Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea.
Sarea stated that the attacks were prompted by the vessel’s connections to Israeli ports, although maritime data does not show any ship by that exact name.
The closest match is the Liberia-flagged oil tanker “Chrysalis,” which last operated in the Red Sea.
The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has intensified military actions since November 2022, launching anti-ship missiles and drones at vessels they identify as Israeli-affiliated in the region.
This campaign is part of their broader stance of solidarity with the Palestinian cause in Gaza.
In retaliation, a US-British naval coalition has been conducting airstrikes and missile operations against Houthi military positions since January, aiming to deter further aggression.
However, this response has led to an increase in Houthi attacks, which have expanded to include US and British commercial and naval vessels.
Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi stated in a recent televised speech that his group has targeted a total of 166 vessels associated with Israel, the US, and Britain.
The ongoing conflict in the region continues to raise tensions, complicating maritime security in the Red Sea.
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