Yemen's Houthis say targeting US aircraft carrier in Red Sea, Israeli sites

Sanaa, Jan 7 (IANS) Yemen's Houthi group said in a statement that it targeted the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the northern Red Sea with two winged missiles and four drones, as well as sites in Israel.

The group "carried out a qualitative military operation... while the American enemy was preparing to launch a major air attack on Yemen," which had "failed" thanks to its operation, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in the statement aired by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

According to Sarea, Houthis also carried out two attacks in the afternoon and another in the evening on Israeli sites, targeting with drones two military targets in Israel's Tel Aviv city, and a "vital target" in Israel's Ashkelon city, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We will continue our operations in support of the Palestinian resistance, and these operations will not stop until the aggression on Gaza stops and the siege is lifted," he added.

Neither the US army nor the Israel Defense Forces have yet to comment on the Houthi claims.

The Houthi statement came simultaneously with the arrival of UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa, which marks his first visit in more than a year and a half as part of efforts to push forward the stalled peace process.

In a brief statement posted on X, Grundberg emphasised that his visit aims to "urge for concrete and essential actions" by the Houthi group to advance the peace process, Xinhua news agency reported.

The envoy stated that his visit is part of "continuing efforts to support the release of arbitrarily detained UN, NGO, civil society and diplomatic mission personnel."

Grundberg's trip follows a meeting on Sunday in Muscat with the head of the Houthi negotiating delegation, where he reiterated the need for tangible measures to facilitate peace talks.

The visit is the first by the UN envoy in nearly two years, as tensions and detentions of international staff have hindered the progress of the talks.

Over the past two years, the Houthis have detained dozens of employees from UN agencies and international and local non-governmental organisations.

The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, has been launching regular rocket and drone attacks against Israel and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023, to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid their ongoing conflict with Israelis.

In response, the US-led naval coalition stationed in the area has regularly conducted air raids and strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group, prompting the Houthis to expand attacks to include US warships.

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