Turkey Condemns Houthi Attack On Ship Under Its Flag In Red Sea

Turkey on Wednesday condemned a missile attack targeting a cargo ship in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, announcing it was taking steps to prevent future similar incidents. “We condemn the Houthi missile attacks on the Panama-flagged dry cargo ship Anadolu S, owned by a Turkish company, while it was sailing off the coast of Yemen,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement. .

Houthi rebels said Tuesday they had targeted a cargo ship in the Red Sea, while a multinational naval force reported two missiles struck near the Panama-flagged vessel. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said the rebels “carried out an operation targeting the Anadolu S ship in the Red Sea with several appropriate ballistic and naval missiles,” adding that “the strike was precise and direct.”

Since last November, the Iran-backed Houthis have targeted maritime shipping in and around the Red Sea as part of a campaign they say is in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the war between Israel and the Hamas.

The Turkish ministry did not specify in its statement whether the ship had suffered any damage, saying only that “necessary initiatives are being taken to prevent a similar incident from happening again.”