Aden (South24)

Today, the Southern Transitional Council (STC) condemned yesterday’s deadly Houthi attack on the commercial cargo ship ‘True Confidence’ in the Gulf of Aden.

The condemnation was issued during the regularly held meeting of the STC Presidency, which the STC’s website said was to discuss the latest regional updates and developments.

An official statement from the meeting said: "We condemn the terrorist attack that killed three ship's crew and injured others."

"The situation having reached this dangerous stage of escalation necessitates a firm international response to the threats posed by this terrorist militia, and to deter it by all possible means," it added.

The statement stressed the need to confront the Houthis "to preserve the safety of global navigation and the supply of basic goods that save the lives of millions of peoples of the region, especially the people of South."

Yesterday, the Houthis attacked the bulk carrier ship True Confidence in the Gulf using a ballistic missile, causing major damage to the ship, killing three sailors, and wounding four others, according to US Central Command.

A video clip published by Asian News International on X showed the surviving members of the ship's crew being rescued by an Indian Navy warship in the Gulf of Aden.

#WATCH | Indian Navy warship deployed for Maritime Security Operations swiftly responded to a Maritime Incident in the Gulf of Aden on 6th March,

Barbados Flagged Bulk Carrier MV True Confidence was reportedly hit by a drone/ missile, approx 55 nm southwest of Aden resulting in… pic.twitter.com/siH9MYqKGH

— ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2024

A statement by the military spokesman for the Houthis claimed that the ship was American but made no mention of the attack’s victims. However, US Central Command disclosed that True Confidence was Liberian-owned and Barbados-flagged.

Yesterday’s attack comes less than one week after the sinking of the British ship Rubymar in the southern Red Sea on March 2, following a multiple-missile strike by the Houthis on February 18.

The ship had been carrying thousands of tons of dangerous fertilizers, according to the Yemeni government, leading to widespread fears of catastrophic environmental repercussions.

Today, Houthi leader Abdulmalik expressed his pride in the attack that targeted True Confidence, stating that it was an indication of the development of their military capabilities.

He added: "Yesterday's strike that targeted an American ship astonished the Americans at its accuracy and destructive force."

“We use new weapons that surprise enemies in our operations,” Al-Houthi said.

Al-Houthi went on to claim that the range of the Houthis’ missiles today exceed 1,000 kilometers, despite that number being between 40-45 kilometers in 2015 when the ongoing civil war first began.

“We have targeted 61 ships with approximately 96 missile and drone attacks so far in the Red and Arabian Seas," he added.