U.S. condemns "reckless" houthi attacks on civilian ships in Red Sea

WASHINGTON, Feb 22 (KUNA) -- The United States on Wednesday condemned the continuous "reckless and indiscriminate" attacks by the Houthi militia on civilian cargo ships in the Red Sea.
At the daily press briefing, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller declared, "The Houthis are acting like a terrorist organization, attacking civilians, civilian ships, and innocent sailors and continuing to detain the Galaxy crew of twenty five people from five different countries." Miller argued that Houthis strikes are increasing costs and delaying the delivery of essential humanitarian supplies, such as food and medication, to areas in need, such as Ethiopia, Sudan, and Yemen. Grain and corn were on board many of the Houthis's attacked ships, which were supposed to be delivered to those nations.
The Houthis continue to show disregard for the Yemeni people, as evidenced by their attacks on civilian ships on February 16 and 19, which threatened the fishing industry and the sea by causing fertilizer and fuel spillage, he said, adding that the ships were also involved in delivering food supplies to Yemeni communities in Aden and Hudaydah.
The United States is ensuring sanctions and actions on the Houthis do not restrict commercial shipments or humanitarian assistance to Yemen's people, the spokesperson noted. However, these actions are preventing the delivery of essential items and making it difficult for humanitarians to perform their work, endangering the fragile humanitarian situation in Yemen.
He emphasized that Washington and its allies will keep taking the necessary action to prevent Houthi attacks on commercial vessels and freedom of travel in this crucial international waterway, as well as to safeguard important humanitarian and economic aid to the region's nations. (end) amm.mtm