Tuesday Briefing: Houthis Attack a U.S. Ship

Houthi fighters fired a missile yesterday that caused limited damage to a U.S.-owned cargo vessel off the coast of Yemen, the U.S. military said.

The missile attack came a day after the Iranian-backed Houthis tried to hit a U.S. Navy ship in the Red Sea. The Houthis, who say they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza, have launched four anti-ship cruise or ballistic missiles in four separate attacks since the U.S.-led strikes began last week.

U.S. forces are bracing for much larger retaliatory attacks from the Houthi militants, and are preparing a set of escalating responses, senior U.S. military officials said. The escalation has stirred fears that the Israel-Hamas war will spread further into the Middle East. But for now, it seems that the U.S. and Iran are trying not to put their forces in direct combat.

Details: The missile fired yesterday hit the Gibraltar Eagle, a bulk carrier owned by a U.S. company and flagged to the Marshall Islands, that had been sailing in the Gulf of Aden, south of Yemen.

Other news from the Israel-Hamas war: