The United States military has said it has no knowledge of any attack by the Yemeni rebel group Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, on the cargo vessel M/V Ocean Jazz in the Gulf of Aden. The Fifth Fleet of the U.S. Navy conveyed this position through its official account on X, the social platform formerly known as Twitter.
The military statement asserted that the claim of a successful Houthi strike against the M/V Ocean Jazz is clearly false, and it emphasized that there was no evidence of damage or interruption to the ship. The release also noted that U.S. forces maintained ongoing communication with the Ocean Jazz to ensure safe passage through the strategic Strait of Aden, underscoring coordination efforts to monitor the vessel during its transit.
On January 22, a representative of the Yemeni rebel movement, Yahya Saria, claimed that the Houthis had attacked the Ocean Jazz in the Gulf of Aden and had identified the vessel as one belonging to the U.S. Navy. These statements from the Houthi side appeared amid ongoing assertions from various parties about the nature and status of the incident.
Earlier, the United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations center, known as UKMTO, reported that the Ocean Jazz was flying the United Kingdom flag at the time. The ship was said to be approximately eighty-five nautical miles from Al-Shihra, Yemen, when the reported incident was described as taking place. The timing and location of these claims have led to questions about what actually occurred and the level of risk to commercial shipping in the area.
Historically the Houthis have signaled an intent to target merchant shipping in the Red Sea region at regular intervals. This pattern has raised concerns among international maritime authorities and shipping companies about potential threats to safe passage and the broader implications for global trade routes near the Bab el-Mandeb strait and adjacent waters. Analysts have stressed the importance of verified information and careful assessment of each claim as tensions in the region persist and maritime security operations continue to adapt to evolving circumstances. Attribution: statements from the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet and UKMTO alongside public declarations from Houthi representatives have shaped the evolving narrative surrounding this event.