The United States military has refuted claims made by the Yemeni Houthi rebel movement, Ansar Allah, about an attack on the cargo ship Ocean Jazz in the Aden Gulf. The statement was issued by the Fifth Fleet of the United States Navy on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
“The claim by Iran-backed Houthis of a supposed successful attack on M/V Ocean Jazz is blatantly false,” the statement said.
It also stated that American military forces had “maintained constant communication with M/V Ocean Jazz throughout its safe passage” through the Aden Strait.
On January 22, a representative of the Yemeni Houthi rebel movement, Yahya Saria, claimed that the Houthis had attacked the cargo ship Ocean Jazz in the Aden Gulf, identifying it as belonging to the US Navy.
Prior to this, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), part of the British Royal Navy, reported that the ship, flying the flag of the United Kingdom, had been attacked 85 nautical miles (157 km) from the Yemeni city of Ash Shihr.
Earlier, the Houthis announced their intention to attack commercial vessels in the Red Sea every 12 hours.
