International

Yemeni Houthis claim attack on US ship in the Red Sea: new escalation in regional tension

Yemen’s Shiite Houthi rebels today claimed responsibility for an attack with naval missiles against a US merchant ship in the Red Sea, in an episode that marks a new escalation of tension in the region and highlights concerns about maritime security in this region. important navigation route.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea announced in a statement on his X account that the Yemeni Naval Forces carried out the attack against the American ship ‘Star Iris’ with several naval missiles, achieving a precise and direct hit.

This incident comes shortly after the British Navy reported a new attack with two missiles against a ship in the Bab el Mandeb Strait, located south of Al Mokha, Yemen, without causing any casualties. The crew of the affected vessel are safe and the vessel is heading towards its next port of call.

According to the maritime tracking portal “MarineTraffic”, the ‘Star Iris’ is Greek-owned and registered in the Marshall Islands, and was traveling between Brazil and Iran when it was attacked in the Red Sea.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, accuse the United States of flying Marshall Islands flags on their ships to avoid revealing their identity while sailing through the Red Sea or the Arabian Sea, as a preventive measure against possible attacks by the Yemeni insurgents.

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The Houthi spokesperson stressed that this attack is part of the military campaign of his movement in support of the Palestinian people and in response to the alleged aggression by the United States and the United Kingdom against Houthi positions.

This incident represents the first attack in almost a week against ships in the region, after a period in which no similar actions had been reported. The Houthis have carried out almost daily attacks since last November against ships they claim have some link to Israel.

Related Topics:MARINE TRAFFIC RED SEA yemen

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International

Hiroshima survivor who embraced Obama dies at 88

The emotional embrace between Barack Obama and Hiroshima survivor Mori—who was eight years old when the United States dropped the atomic bomb in 1945—resonated around the world.

According to Asahi Shimbun and other local media, Mori died on Saturday at a hospital in Hiroshima.

Mori, known for his research on the fate of American prisoners of war in Hiroshima, was thrown into a river by the force of the explosion on August 6, 1945, during the atomic bombing of the city.

In a past interview with AFP, ahead of his meeting with Obama at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial in 2016, Mori recalled the chaos and desperation that followed the blast.

He described how, after emerging from the water, he encountered injured civilians seeking help amid the devastation, an experience that stayed with him throughout his life.

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In 2016, Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima, where he paid tribute to the victims of the first atomic bomb used in warfare. During the visit, Mori was visibly moved as he met the president, sharing a brief but powerful moment that symbolized remembrance and reconciliation.

The bombing of Hiroshima resulted in the deaths of approximately 140,000 people, including those who succumbed to radiation exposure in the aftermath.

Three days later, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing an estimated 74,000 people and contributing to the end of World War II.

International

Colombia seeks ‘total suffocation’ of armed groups with regional support

Colombia is advancing a strategy aimed at the “total suffocation” of illegal armed groups, seeking to corner them in border regions with the support of Ecuador and Venezuela, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said in an interview with AFP.

According to the minister, coordinated pressure from neighboring countries—backed by United States—aims to dismantle criminal networks that use cross-border routes to traffic Colombian cocaine toward North America and Europe.

For decades, armed groups involved in Colombia’s internal conflict have relied on border territories as strategic rear bases to evade military operations and maintain logistical support.

However, Sánchez said that dynamic is beginning to change.

“We expect a total suffocation between both nations so they have no spaces where they can live or feel safe […] to close off any room they might have,” he stated during the interview in Bogotá, less than five months before the end of President Gustavo Petro’s term.

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Regional developments have reinforced this strategy. Following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation, Washington has increased its influence in Caracas, where interim leader Delcy Rodríguez has implemented a renewed anti-narcotics policy.

Meanwhile, in Ecuador, President Daniel Noboa—a key U.S. ally in the region—has launched a two-week security plan under strict curfews to combat criminal gangs, with U.S. support.

Sánchez argued that these combined efforts leave illegal organizations with fewer escape routes and operational spaces, effectively placing them in a “dead end.”

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.