Houthis Launch Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles at US, Greek Ships in Gulf of Aden

Gulf of Aden, Yemen Iraq
On Monday, February 28th, 2024, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists also fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a Greek flagged ship headed to Yemen to deliver grain. The Rubymar ship is currently anchored but taking on water.
On Saturday, February 26th, 2024, Houthis launched an anti-ballistic missile toward an oil tanker ship that carries oil and chemicals in the Gulf of Aden. The M/V Torm Thor was flagged and owned by a US company at the time of the incident.
The US and its allies are targeting rebels in Yemen as part of an ongoing airstrike campaign against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The attacks have been ongoing for over a month, but the Houthis continue to launch attacks despite the strikes.
Houthis Launch Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles at US, Greek Ships in Gulf of Aden

The US and its allies are targeting rebels in Yemen as part of an ongoing airstrike campaign against Iran-backed Houthi rebels. The attacks have been ongoing for over a month, but the Houthis continue to launch attacks despite the strikes. On Saturday, February 26th, 2024, Houthis launched an anti-ballistic missile toward an oil tanker ship that carries oil and chemicals in the Gulf of Aden. The M/V Torm Thor was flagged and owned by a US company at the time of the incident. On Monday, February 28th, 2024, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists also fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a Greek flagged ship headed to Yemen to deliver grain. The Rubymar ship is currently anchored but taking on water.


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Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • It is unclear if the M/V Torm Thor was carrying any cargo or passengers at the time of the attack.

Sources

66%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Houthis nearly strike oil tanker in Gulf of Aden; US, coalition forces take out more one-way attack drones

Fox News Channel Greg Wehner Monday, 26 February 2024 18:59
  • Unique Points
    • Houthis launched an anti-ballistic missile toward a tanker ship that carries oil and chemicals in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday
    • The Iranian-backed Houthis were likely targeting the M/V Torm Thor, which is flagged and owned by a U.S. company.
    • On Monday, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists also fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a Greek flagged ship headed to Yemen to deliver grain
    • The Rubymar ship is currently anchored but taking on water.
  • Accuracy
    • Houthis launched an anti-ballistic missile toward a tanker ship that carries oil and chemicals in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday, though it struck the water and did not cause damage to the ship or injuries to those on board.
    • On Monday, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists also fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles at a Greek flagged ship headed to Yemen to deliver grain, causing minor damage according to US Central Command.
  • Deception (50%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Houthis launched an anti-ballistic missile towards a tanker ship carrying oil and chemicals in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday. However, according to Central Command's statement on X, the missile struck water and did not cause any damage to the ship or injuries to those on board. Therefore, it is unclear why this incident was reported as an attack by Houthis towards a tanker ship carrying oil and chemicals in the Gulf of Aden. Secondly, Central Command claims that U.S., coalition forces shot down two one-way unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Red Sea in self-defense on Saturday evening at about 9 p.m local time. However, according to X's post by Central Command, only one UAV was reportedly heading towards the area and crashed from what appeared to be an in-flight failure. Therefore, it is unclear why two UAVs were shot down over the Red Sea if only one was heading towards the area and crashed. Thirdly, X's post by Central Command claims that a third UAV was also heading towards the area and crashed from what appeared to be an in-flight failure. However, according to X's post by Central Command, this information is not supported by any evidence or documentation provided in the article. Therefore, it is unclear why this claim was made without supporting evidence.
    • Central Command claims that a third UAV was also heading towards the area and crashed from what appeared to be an in-flight failure. However, according to X's post by Central Command, this information is not supported by any evidence or documentation provided in the article.
    • Central Command claims that U.S., coalition forces shot down two one-way unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Red Sea in self-defense on Saturday evening at about 9 p.m local time. However, according to X's post by Central Command, only one UAV was reportedly heading towards the area and crashed from what appeared to be an in-flight failure.
    • The author claims that Houthis launched an anti-ballistic missile towards a tanker ship carrying oil and chemicals in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday. However, according to Central Command's statement on X, the missile struck water and did not cause any damage to the ship or injuries to those on board.
  • Fallacies (70%)
    The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the Houthis as 'Iranian-backed terrorists' and their attacks on merchant ships as a threat to freedom of navigation. This is an example of emotional appeal, which can be used to manipulate readers into accepting certain beliefs without evidence or logical reasoning.
    • The author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the Houthis as 'Iranian-backed terrorists' and their attacks on merchant ships as a threat to freedom of navigation.
  • Bias (80%)
    The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses language that depicts the Houthis as a threat to freedom of navigation and makes it seem like they are attacking merchant ships for no reason other than to disrupt trade. This is an example of religious bias because the Houthis have been fighting against foreign powers, including those backed by Saudi Arabia and Israel, who seek to control Yemen's resources. The author also mentions that the M/V Torm Thor was flagged and owned by a US company, which could be seen as monetary bias since it implies that the US has an interest in protecting its own ships from attacks. Additionally, there is no mention of any other countries or groups who may have been involved in these incidents, further suggesting a focus on the perceived threat posed by the Houthis.
    • The author mentions that the M/V Torm Thor was flagged and owned by a US company, which could be seen as monetary bias since it implies that the US has an interest in protecting its own ships from attacks.
      • The author uses language like 'Iranian-backed Houthis were likely targeting' which implies that they are doing something wrong and dangerous. This is an example of religious bias because it suggests that the Houthis are a threat to freedom of navigation and make it seem like they are attacking merchant ships for no reason other than to disrupt trade.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
        Greg Wehner has a conflict of interest on the topic of Houthis as he is reporting for Fox News which is owned by Rupert Murdoch who has financial ties to Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are in a proxy war with Iran and the Houthis are backed by Iran.
        • Greg Wehner reports for Fox News, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch.
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          Greg Wehner has a conflict of interest on the topic of Houthis as he is reporting for Fox News which is owned by Rupert Murdoch. Murdoch has been accused in the past of having ties to Iran and supporting their actions in Yemen.

          84%

          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

          US, allies target rebels as Yemen Houthi attacks continue

          USA Today Monday, 26 February 2024 00:00
          • Unique Points
            • . The US-led airstrikes have been ongoing for a month.
            • The Houthi rebels are still able to launch attacks despite the airstrikes.
            • Yemen is being targeted by the US and its allies.
          • Accuracy
            No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
          • Deception (50%)
            The article is deceptive in that it implies the Houthi rebels are still able to launch attacks despite a month of U.S.-led airstrikes when there have been no reported attacks since January 29th.
            • Fallacies (85%)
              The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that the US-led airstrikes have been ongoing for a month without any success in stopping Houthi attacks. The author does not provide evidence or context to support this claim.
              • Bias (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              51%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              US calls damage from vessel struck by Houthis an ‘environmental disaster’

              The Hill News Site: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate-seethe-republicans-call-for-israeli-elections/ Filip Timotija Saturday, 24 February 2024 20:59
              • Unique Points
                • The U.S. military called the damage to a vessel carrying over 40,000 tons of fertilizer struck by Iran-backed Houthi rebels an environmental disaster.
                • Houthis attacked the cargo ship operated by Rubymar Monday night and caused significant damage to it which prompted an oil slick in the Red Sea. The ship's cargo could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster.
              • Accuracy
                No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
              • Deception (30%)
                The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author uses sensationalist language by calling the damage to the vessel an 'environmental disaster'. However, there is no evidence presented that supports this claim. Secondly, the author quotes CENTCOM as stating that if all of the fertilizer spills into Red Sea it will worsen this environmental disaster. But again, there is no scientific evidence provided to support such a statement and it seems like an exaggeration for political purposes.
                • Houthis attacked the cargo ship operated by Rubymar Monday night, causing “significant damage” to the vessel which prompted an 18-mile oil slick, according to the U.S. military.
                • The Houthis have unleashed drone strikes and launched missiles on cargo ships in the Red Sea consistently in recent months.
                • The U.S. military called the damage to the U.K.-owned vessel carrying over 40,000 tons of fertilizer struck by Iran-backed Houthi rebels an “environmental disaster.”
              • Fallacies (0%)
                The author of the article is making a false dilemma by presenting only two possible outcomes for the environmental disaster caused by the Houthi rebels: either spilling fertilizer into the Red Sea or not. This ignores other potential solutions that could prevent or mitigate the damage, such as containing and cleaning up the oil slick, transferring some of the cargo to a safer location, or using absorbent materials to soak up the leaking fuel. The author is also implying that spilling fertilizer into the Red Sea would be worse than letting it explode on board, which may not necessarily be true. Spilling hazardous chemicals into the environment can have severe consequences for marine life and human health, while an explosion could cause additional damage to other vessels or infrastructure in the area.
                • The U.S. military called the damage to the U.K.-owned vessel carrying over 40,000 tons of fertilizer struck by Iran-backed Houthi rebels an “environmental disaster.”
                • Houthis attacked the cargo ship operated by Rubymar Monday night, causing “significant damage” to the vessel which prompted an 18-mile oil slick, according to the U.S. military.
                • The Houthis have unleashed drone strikes and launched missiles on cargo ships in the Red Sea consistently in recent months.
              • Bias (85%)
                The author uses the term 'environmental disaster' to describe the damage caused by Houthi rebels striking a cargo ship carrying fertilizer. This is an example of ideological bias as it implies that environmental concerns should take precedence over other issues such as national security and international relations.
                • The Houthis have unleashed drone strikes and launched missiles on cargo ships in the Red Sea consistently in recent months. The campaign started in November as their way of pressuring Israel to halt its war against the militant group Hamas in Gaza.
                  • The U.S. military called the damage to the U.K.-owned vessel carrying over 40,000 tons of fertilizer struck by Iran-backed Houthi rebels an “environmental disaster.”
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                    Filip Timotija has conflicts of interest on the topics of Houthi rebels and Iran-backed Houthi rebels as he is reporting for The Hill which is owned by News Corporation. He also has a conflict of interest with Rubymar ship as it was operated by a French shipping company, which could compromise his ability to report objectively.
                    • The article mentions that Filip Timotija reports for The Hill, which is owned by News Corporation.
                    • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                      Filip Timotija has conflicts of interest on the topics of Houthi rebels and Iran-backed Houthi rebels as he is reporting for The Hill which is a news outlet that frequently covers these topics. Additionally, Filip Timotija may have financial ties to companies or individuals involved in shipping cargo ships in the Red Sea.
                      • Houthis have unleashed drone strikes and launched missiles on cargo ships in the Red Sea consistently in recent months
                        • The US military called the damage an 'environmental disaster'