"The Houthis" deny targeting a Gabonese vessel in the Red Sea

"The Houthis"

 deny targeting a Gabonese vessel in

 the Red Sea

 and hold an American barge responsible for targeting it

The spokesperson for Ansar Allah (Al-Houthi) 

denied targeting a Gabon vessel in the Red Sea

stressing that an American barge had fired hysterically 

and one of the barge missiles had exploded near the vessel.

The group's spokesman Mohammed Abdussalam said in

 a tweet on his X-platform account: "As a Yemeni naval drone 

was conducting reconnaissance work in the open Red Sea

a United States vessel fired hysterically with multiple weapons

 showing confusion and concern. 

One rocket exploded near a vessel travelling south of

 the Red Sea from Russian ports."

He added:

"We emphasize that the threat of international maritime navigation

 is caused by the militarization of the Red Sea by America and its partners 

who are arriving unjustly in the region 

only to provide safety service to Israeli enemy entity vessels."

The Red Sea

 will be a burning arena if America and its allies continue as thugs

 and the Red Sea Basin States must recognize 

the real threats to their national security.

The U.S.

Central Command announced an appeal by a Gabon-owned

 oil tanker flying India's flag for a drone attack launched

 by Ansar Allah during its crossing of the Red Sea on Saturday evening

adding that the U.S. Navy had received a further distress from a Norwegian

flagged chemical and oil tanker following a drone attack.

On Tuesday, U.S. Defense Secretary

 Lloyd Austin announced the formation of a multinational 

Red Sea trade protection force (the boom guard)

 following the group's attacks on vessels bound for Israel

comprising 10 countries: 

Britain, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway

Seychelles and Spain, before the Pentagon announced approval of

 more than 20 countries to participate in the force.

Since early December

Ansar Allah has announced the targeting of 8 ships in the Red Sea

 and Bab al-Mandeb, with missiles and drones, after refusing to respond to

 the calls of the group's naval forces, against the backdrop of its decision to

 ban Israeli or Israeli-bound vessels from passing through the Red Sea.