Iranian warship enters Red Sea amid tensions in region
Illustrative photo (Getty Images)
The Iranian military ship Alborz has passed through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and entered the Red Sea, reports The Times of Israel.
It is stated that Iranian military vessels have been operating in the region to secure maritime routes since 2009.
Supported by Iran, Houthi rebels in Yemen have attacked over 20 ships passing through the Red Sea in recent weeks. Iran claims that the Houthis act independently and have not received instructions from Iran.
However, Tehran has previously supplied the rebel group with unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, some of which were used in recent attacks.
Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea
Since November of this year, Houthi attacks on trade ships with connections to Israel have continued in the Red Sea. On December 16, a British destroyer intercepted a Sea Viper missile, which was attempting to attack a trade ship in the Red Sea.
A Houthi-launched ground-based cruise missile also hit the Norwegian-flagged commercial tanker, causing serious damage and a subsequent fire onboard.
On December 19, the Pentagon announced the start of a special operation called Prosperity Guardian to protect ships from Houthi attacks. Over 20 countries have agreed to join the coalition.
Additionally, on December 31, the Houthis attacked a civilian trade ship in the Red Sea.
British Foreign Minister David Cameron informed his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, that Tehran shares responsibility for preventing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.
