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US military reports Houthi attack on Greek-owned vessel in Red Sea

The merchant vessel Laax, a Marshall Island flagged, Greek owned and operated bulk carrier, reported being struck by three of the missiles, but continued its voyage

NEW YORK, May 29. /TASS/. Yemeni Houthi rebels from the Ansar Allah movement have attacked a Greek-owned vessel, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on the X social media platform.

"Between 12:05 p.m. and 1:40 p.m. Sanaa time (9:05 a.m. and 10:40 a.m. GMT - TASS) on May 28, Iranian-backed Houthis launched five anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Red Sea. The merchant vessel Laax, a Marshall Island flagged, Greek owned and operated bulk carrier, reported being struck by three of the missiles, but continued its voyage. There were no injuries reported by US, coalition, or merchant vessels," the statement reads.

According to the CENTCOM, US forces "successfully destroyed five uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) over the Red Sea, launched from an Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled area of Yemen." "It was determined the systems presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels in the region," the statement added.

Following the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Ansar Allah movement said it would strike Israeli territory and prevent ships associated with Israel from passing through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait until the operation in the Palestinian enclave was halted. The Houthis have attacked dozens of civilian ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since last November.

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