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Three people were killed and at least four wounded in a Houthi missile attack on a bulk carrier off the coast of Yemen on Wednesday, the US military said, marking the first civilian casualties in the rebel group's campaign against commercial shipping in and around the Red Sea.
A missile fired from Yemen caused major damage to the Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned vessel True Confidence in the Gulf of Aden, Central Command said on X.
Centcom also said the missile hit caused "significant damage" to the ship.
International Maritime Organisation secretary general Arsenio Dominguez called for collective action to protect the safety of those who work at sea.
“It is deeply saddening to follow the horrific reports of the casualties on the merchant vessel True Confidence, following an attack on the ship south-west of Aden [in Yemen],” he said.
“Innocent seafarers should never become collateral victims.
"I want to thank the efforts of all ships in the area in assisting the vessel and particularly its crew. We all need to do more to protect seafarers.”
Earlier in the day, British and US officials said two seafarers had been killed in the attack.
The US has for months warned about the risk to civilian lives in the Red Sea as it has sought to counter Houthi threats.
"Today, the Houthis have killed innocent civilians with their actions," a US defence official told The National.
Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed the attack in a statement on Wednesday night and named the True Confidence as an “American ship”.
“The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a targeting operation against the American ship [True Confidence] in the Gulf of Aden, with a number of appropriate naval missiles,” said Houthi spokesman Brig Gen Yahya Saree in a statement.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the ship was not a US vessel.
"These reckless attacks by the Iran-backed group have not only disrupted global trade and commerce but also taken the lives of international seafarers who are simply doing their jobs," she told reporters.
The British embassy in Sanaa said that at least two sailors had died.
“This was the sad but inevitable consequence of the Houthis recklessly firing missiles at international shipping,” the embassy said on X. “They must stop.”
Earlier, a shipping source said that three crew members were missing from the True Confidence, while four others had sustained serious burns after a fire broke out on the vessel after the attack.
A statement from the owners said the bulk carrier was drifting with a fire burning on board, but that no information was available on the status of 20 crew members and three armed guards.
The True Confidence is owned by Liberian-registered company True Confidence Shipping and operated by the Greece-based Third January Maritime, the statement said.
“The Houthis continue to carry out these reckless attacks with no regard for the well-being of innocent civilians who are transiting through the Red Sea, and now they have, unfortunately and tragically, killed innocent civilians,” said US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
“The United States will continue to hold the Houthis accountable for their attacks, which have not just disrupted international commerce, not just disrupted the freedom of navigation and international waters, and not just endangered seafarers but now tragically killed a number of them.
“So we will continue to hold them accountable and encourage governments around the world to do the same.”
British Foreign Minister David Cameron said he was appalled by the death of the seafarers.
"Appalled to hear about the deaths of MV True Confidence international crew members in a Houthi attack in the Red Sea. Our thoughts are with their families," he said in a post on X.
"We condemn the Houthis' reckless & indiscriminate attacks on global shipping & demand they stop. We will continue to stand up for freedom of navigation and back our words with actions."
The incident appears to be the first time civilian sailors have been killed since Yemen's Houthi rebels began attacking ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters in response to the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war.
Despite waves of US and UK air strikes on sites in Yemen, the Houthis have not lost the capability to launch significant attacks.
Last month, the group attacked a cargo ship carrying fertiliser, the Rubymar, which sank on Saturday after drifting for several days.
The Houthis have also downed an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, a separate Houthi attack on Tuesday was carried out against the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that has been involved in the American campaign against the rebels
The Houthi attack on the Carney involved bomb-carrying drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile, the US military's Central Command said.
The US later launched an air strike that destroyed three anti-ship missiles and three bomb-carrying drone boats, said Centcom.
Brig Saree acknowledged the attack, but claimed Houthi forces had attacked two American warships, without elaborating.
The Houthis “will not stop until the aggression is stopped and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted”, he said.
Brig Gen Saree did not acknowledge the later US air strikes.
The Houthis have not offered an assessment of the damage they have suffered in the US-led strikes that began in January, beyond saying that at least 22 of their fighters have been killed.
Agencies contributed to this report
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
The%20specs
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The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
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Company%20profile
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
RESULTS
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jordan Sport, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Jungle Cat, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Kimbear, Patrick Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: North America, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner: Hawkbill, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
