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Lycavitos ship, attacked by Houthis, owned by Greek company — TV

The Greek television said that Ansar Allah claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday afternoon

ATHENS, February 16. /TASS/. The Lycavitos ship, attacked by Yemen’s rebel Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement, is owned by Greek company Helikon Shipping Enterprises, the ERT-news television reported.

The Greek television said that Ansar Allah claimed responsibility for the attack, which happened in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday afternoon. The movement said it attacked "a British ship." The Barbados-flagged vessel is being managed by Helikon Shipping Enterprises company, which has offices in London, Athens and the Chinese port city of Dalian. The company confirmed that the ship has a Greek owner and confirmed earlier reports by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

Prior to that, the United Kingdom said it had received reports about an explosion that occurred in the vicinity of a ship some 85 nautical miles east of Aden, adding that the ship’s crew is safe. UK maritime insurance company Ambrey said insignificant damage was dealt by fragments of an exploded missile, but no injuries were reported among the crew. Earlier, Ansar Allah announced that its forces had attacked Lycavitos, which they identified as UK-owned.

With the conflict in the Gaza Strip escalating, the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement announced that it would conduct strikes on Israeli territory and block pro-Israeli vessels from passing through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until Tel Aviv ceases its military operation in the Palestinian enclave. The Houthis have attacked dozens of civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November of last year.

In response to Ansar Allah’s actions, US officials announced the formation of an international coalition and the preparation of Operation Prosperity Guardian to ensure freedom of navigation and protection of ships in the Red Sea. On the night of January 12, US and UK forces launched strikes using aircraft, ships and submarines against Yemeni rebel movement targets in a number of cities, including Sanaa and Hodeidah. The targets included missile sites, UAVs and the Houthis’ radar stations.

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