STORY: Yemen's Houthi group says 10 fighters killed by U.S. Navy forces in Red Sea
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 31, 2023
DATELINE: Jan. 1, 2024
LENGTH: 00:00:29
LOCATION: Sanaa
CATEGORY: POLITICS/MILITARY

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): YAHYA SAREA, Houthi military spokesman
2. various of U.S. marines firing at Houthi boats

STORYLINE:

Yemen's Houthi group said Sunday that 10 of its fighters were killed by U.S. naval forces in the Red Sea while they were trying to hijack a commercial ship in international waters.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement broadcast live by the group's al-Masirah TV that the U.S. forces attacked three boats belonging to the Houthi rebels.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic): YAHYA SAREA, Houthi military spokesman
"The U.S. attacked three boats belonging to the Yemeni naval forces, which led to the martyrdom and loss of ten members of the naval forces."

He said the rebels were "performing their humanitarian and moral duty" to prevent Israel-related ships from passing through the Red Sea, "in solidarity and support for the Palestinian people."

The spokesman said the U.S. "bears the consequences of this crime," and that the "military movements in the Red Sea to protect Israeli ships will not prevent Yemen (Houthi militia) from performing its humanitarian duty in support of Palestine and Gaza."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Sanaa.
(XHTV)