A missile strike from Yemen’s Houthi rebels sets a cargo ship on fire in Gulf of Aden

By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. says the Iranian-backed Houthis launched two anti-ship cruise missiles and struck a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen, setting it on fire and severely injuring one civilian mariner. U.S. Central Command says the M/V Verbena was still ablaze and the mariner was flown by a U.S. helicopter based on the USS Philippine Sea to another nearby ship for medical treatment. Central Command says the Verbena is a Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned and Polish-operated bulk cargo carrier that was on its way to Italy carrying wood. The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge Thursday’s attack. They’ve been attacking ships since November during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.