SANAA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group said in a statement late Friday that they have launched multiple attacks against an oil tanker and other cargo ships, including a joint attack with the Iraqi Islamic Resistance.
"Our armed forces carried out several qualitative military operations, including a joint military operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted the oil tanker WALER in the Mediterranean Sea with several drones while it was on its way to Haifa Port," Yahya Sarea, Houthi military spokesman, said in the televised statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.
"Our naval forces carried out a military operation targeting the American ship DELONIX in the Red Sea with several ballistic missiles. The operation led to a direct hit on the ship," Sarea said.
"We also targeted the ship JOHANNES MAERSK in the Mediterranean Sea with a winged missile, and the operation achieved its goal successfully," he said.
"The operation was carried out simultaneously with the naval forces carrying out another military operation in the Red Sea against the ship LOANNIS. The ship was targeted by several unmanned boats," he added.
Since November last year, the Houthi group has been conducting drone and missile attacks in shipping lanes, claiming these actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In response, the U.S.-British naval coalition stationed in the waters has since January conducted air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group, but this only led to an expansion of Houthi attacks to include U.S. and British commercial vessels and naval ships.