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4 sailors from Eternity C lifeless, 10 discovered alive, 11 nonetheless lacking – six believed to be in Houthi arms.
Houthi rebels in Yemen tried to strike Israel’s Ben Gurion airport after sinking two vessels within the Purple Sea this week, because the group ramps up its navy stress in assist of Palestinians beneath Israeli hearth in its bid to deliver the conflict in Gaza to an finish.
Houthi navy spokesman Yahya Saree stated on Thursday that the group had carried out a “qualitative navy operation” with a ballistic missile after the Israeli navy reported the strike had been intercepted.
In the meantime, maritime safety sources instructed the Reuters information company that the Houthis have been holding six crew members from the Greek-operated, Liberia-flagged Eternity C vessel, which the insurgent group attacked on Monday, killing a minimum of 4 sailors.
A complete of 25 individuals have been on board the Eternity C, in accordance with Aspides, the European Union’s naval job drive patrolling the Purple Sea. Ten crew members have been reportedly pulled out of the ocean alive after the vessel sank on Tuesday, whereas 11 are nonetheless lacking – with six believed to be in Houthi arms.
Saree stated on Wednesday that the Houthis had “moved to rescue plenty of the ship’s crew, present them with medical care and transport them to a protected location”.
The US embassy in Yemen countered that on X, accusing the rebels of kidnapping the crew members after “killing their shipmates, sinking their ship and hampering rescue efforts”.
The assault on the Eternity C got here in the future after the Houthis struck and sunk the Magic Seas, reviving a marketing campaign launched in November 2023 that has seen greater than 100 ships attacked. All of the crew from the Magic Seas have been rescued.
After Sunday’s assault, the Houthis declared that ships owned by firms with ties to Israel have been a “respectable goal” and pledged to “forestall Israeli navigation within the Purple and Arabian Seas … till the aggression in opposition to Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted”.
Late on Sunday, Israel’s navy attacked Yemen, bombing the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and as-Salif, in addition to the Ras Qantib energy plant on the coast. The Houthis had fired missiles in the direction of Israeli territory in retaliation.
Israel stated its assaults additionally hit a ship, the Galaxy Chief, which was seized by the Houthis in late 2023 and held in Ras Isa port.
The Houthis held 25 crew members from the Galaxy for 430 days earlier than releasing them in January this yr.
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