US Army Claims Ansar Allah Conducted Unsuccessful Attacks; Ansar Allah Denied

According to CENTCOM issued a statement on December 23, alleging that Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement fired two ballistic anti-ship missiles towards international shipping lines in the southern Red Sea, but the missiles did not hit any vessels.

Furthermore, between 15:00 and 20:00 local time in Yemeni capital city Sanaa, the US destroyer USS LABOON was patrolling in the southern Red Sea as part of the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian when it detected and destroyed four drones from areas under Ansar Allah’s control. There were no casualties or damages reported from this attack as well.

At 20:00 local time in Sanaa, the United States Naval Forces Central Command received reports of two vessels in the southern Red Sea being under attack. One of the vessels, named BLAAMANEN, a Norwegian-flagged tanker carrying oil and chemicals, was attacked by a suicide drone but did not suffer any damage. The second vessel, named SAIBABA, an Indian-flagged crude oil tanker owned by Gabon, was hit also by a suicide drone, but no damage was reported.

If the CENTCOM claim is true, these attacks would be the 14th and 15th attempts by the Ansar Allah movement on commercial vessels since October 17.

The claims made by the US while the Yemeni authorities denied these attacks. Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the spokesman of Ansar Allah and the chief negotiator of Yemen’s National Salvation Government, denied these claims.

Abdul-Salam said: “While a reconnaissance drone of the Yemeni army was conducting reconnaissance operations in the Red Sea, an American frigate fired frantically at it with multiple weapons. This action shows their state of confusion and anxiety. One of the missiles fired by the American frigate exploded near a ship belonging to Gabon, which was moving from the source of Russia to the south of the Red Sea.“

He added, “We emphasize that the militarization of the Red Sea by the United States and its allies is a threat to international maritime navigation. If the US and its allies continue on their bully path, the Red Sea will become a burning zone and the countries bordering the Red Sea must realize the reality of the dangers that threaten their national security.“

Military and political officials from the Yemeni National Salvation Government have repeatedly emphasized that the Yemeni forces’ attacks will be communicated solely through statements by Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, and other countries’ claims do not hold any official recognition.