Yemen’s Houthi rebels conducted attacks on both Israel and a ship in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, setting the vessel ablaze.

This showcases their capability to launch assaults despite facing U.S.-led airstrikes.

The Houthi leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, framed these actions as part of a broader pressure campaign to end Israel’s involvement in the conflict with Hamas in Gaza.

However, their recent attacks have become more indiscriminate, posing a threat to a crucial waterway for cargo and energy shipments between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

In the Gulf of Aden, two missiles were fired at the Palau-flagged cargo ship Islander, resulting in a fire and injuring one sailor, according to the U.S. military’s Central Command.

The ship, en route from Thailand to Egypt, continued its journey, ABC News reported.

The Islander had previously sent messages indicating “SYRIAN CREW ON BOARD” to potentially avoid Houthi targeting.

Similar communication strategies have been employed by other vessels to identify their crews as Muslims or unaffiliated with Israel to mitigate the risk of rebel attacks.

Simultaneously, early Thursday morning, sirens sounded in the southern Israeli port of Eilat, with online videos suggesting an interception in the sky overhead.

Written by B.C. Begley