Houthi missile strike forces crew to abandon ship

A missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels set a Dutch-flagged cargo ship ablaze in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, officials said, injuring two mariners and forcing its crew to abandon the damaged vessel.

- By Jon GAMBRELL

The attack on the Minervagracht represents the most serious attack in the Gulf of Aden, some distance away from the Red Sea where the Iranian-backed Houthis sank two vessels in July.

While the rebels did not claim responsibility for the assault, they had threatened to strike ships as part of their campaign over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, particularly as Israel moves in on Gaza City ina new ground offensive. Meanwhile, the Mideast also remains on edge after the United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.