Yemen's Houthis Claim New Attack on American Warships

Yemen's Houthis on March 18 claimed their third attack on American warships in 48 hours, despite US strikes on the Iran-backed rebels that have sparked mass protests organised by the group.

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SANAA, Yemen -

The rebels also condemned Israel's wave of strikes on Gaza, which the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory said killed at least 330 people, vowing to escalate their own operations in support of ally Hamas.

The Houthis had targeted ships in the Red Sea after the start of the Gaza war and until a January ceasefire, claiming solidarity with Palestinians.

But last week, they threatened to renew attacks on Israeli shipping over Israel's aid blockade on the battered Palestinian territory, triggering US backlash and tit-for-tat retaliation.

The Houthis said on Telegram that they had targeted the USS Harry S. Truman carrier group with missiles and drones, making the attack the "third in the past 48 hours" in the northern Red Sea.

A US defence official said that the Houthis "continue to communicate lies and disinformation", adding that the Iran-backed group is "well known for false claims minimising the results of our attacks while exaggerating the successes of theirs".

US Air Force Lieutenant-General Alexus Grynkewich earlier told reporters it was "hard to confirm" the attacks claimed by the Houthis, as the rebels were missing their targets "by over 100 miles" (160km).