Russian warships enter the Red Sea, navy says

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks in the Red Sea as long as Israel continues to commit "crimes against Palestinians."

 Russian warships leave a port during naval drills, which are staged by the Baltic Fleet forces of the Russian Navy, part of the military exercises Zapad-2021 opened by Russia and Belarus, in the Baltic Sea town of Baltiysk in Kaliningrad Region, Russia September 9, 2021 (photo credit: REUTERS/VITALY NEVAR)
Russian warships leave a port during naval drills, which are staged by the Baltic Fleet forces of the Russian Navy, part of the military exercises Zapad-2021 opened by Russia and Belarus, in the Baltic Sea town of Baltiysk in Kaliningrad Region, Russia September 9, 2021
(photo credit: REUTERS/VITALY NEVAR)

Several Russian warships have passed the Bab al-Mandab Strait into the Red Sea, the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet said on Thursday, amid attacks by Yemen's Houthis on merchant shipping.

The Zvezda TV channel, owned by the defense ministry, quoted the fleet as saying the Russian cruiser Varyag and the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov were taking part in the voyage.

Houthi terrorists in Yemen have repeatedly attacked ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea since November in support of Palestinians, the terror organization claims.

Attacks by Houthi terrorists

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks as long as Israel continues to commit "crimes against Palestinians."

 Houthi followers raise firearms during a parade in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and to show support to Houthi strikes on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in Sanaa, Yemen January 29, 2024. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)
Houthi followers raise firearms during a parade in solidarity with the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and to show support to Houthi strikes on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in Sanaa, Yemen January 29, 2024. (credit: KHALED ABDULLAH/REUTERS)

In February, the Houthis attacked the Rubymar cargo ship on the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which sunk at the beginning of March. The ship, containing 21,000 metric tons of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer, presents an environmental risk in the Red Sea.   

Houthi terrorists in Yemen, who control the country's most populous regions, have primarily targeted vessels with commercial ties to the United States, Britain, and Israel.