The reckless behavior of the Iran-backed Houthis is a threat to regional stability

The continued reckless behavior of the Iran-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of sailors in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, Pentagon Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said at a news conference today.

He said the Houthis claim to be working for the Palestinians in Gaza and yet, they are threatening the lives of people who have nothing to do with the conflict.

Last week, the Yemen-based Houthis attacked two cargo ships: the M/V Tutor, which is Liberian-flagged and Greek-owned, and the M/V Verbena, which is Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned and Polish-operated.

The attack on Tutor on 12 June resulted in severe flooding and damage to the engine room. A civilian sailor remains missing after the attack, Singh said.

On June 14, the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea responded to a distress call from Tutor. Cruisers and aircraft from partner forces helped evacuate all personnel from the ship. The operation took place in the Red Sea and within range of Houthi weapons, making it a risky and complex operation, he said.

Iranian, Russian and Chinese naval vessels were among the vessels within reaction distance that did nothing to assist Tutor, Singh noted.

The Tutor remains in the Red Sea and is slowly taking on water awaiting recovery by a rescue vessel, he added.

The June 13 attack on Verbena caused the ship to catch fire. A civilian sailor was evacuated from the Philippine Sea by air to a partner country ship for treatment, he said.

On 15 June, Verbena's crew issued a distress call, but were forced to abandon ship. They were then rescued by the nearby M/V Anna Meta. At the time, an Iranian frigate was 8 nautical miles away from Verbena and did not respond to the distress call, Singh said.

Verbena is no longer on fire and is being towed to a nearby port, he added.

Since November 19, the Houthis have launched about 190 attacks. Only a few have been successful, which speaks to the effectiveness of coalition forces in stopping attacks, he said.

Also on June 14, US Central Command removed temporary piers off the coast of Gaza due to heavy seas; It was brought back to Ashdod in Israel. The pier will likely be re-anchored when sea conditions in Gaza ease later this week, Singh said.

The United States is working with the international community to get aid to Gaza as quickly as possible. Since the pier was anchored on May 17, humanitarian agencies have delivered more than 3,500 metric tons of aid to Gaza, he said.