Source: AFP
Yemen’s Houthis on Friday launched a missile attack on a British oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden that set the vessel on fire, the latest attack on international shipping by the Iran-backed rebels.
It came the same day the US military said one of its warships shot down a missile fired at it by the group, which acts to support Palestinians in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.
US and British forces have launched two rounds of joint strikes aimed at reducing the Houthis’ ability to target ships passing through the key Red Sea sea trade route.
Washington has also carried out a series of unilateral airstrikes, but the Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks.
The British oil tanker Marlin Luanda was hit by missiles fired by Yemeni naval forces, the group’s military spokesman Yahya Saree said.
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“The hit was direct and resulted in the burning of the boat,” he added.
Risk monitor Ambrey said a missile strike southeast of the Yemeni port of Aden set fire to a merchant ship.
“At the time of writing, the crew was safe,” he added.
In the incident involving the US Navy vessel, the Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile from Yemen towards the destroyer USS Carney in the Gulf of Aden, the US Central Command said.
“The missile was successfully shot down by the USS Carney. No injuries or damage were reported,” CENTCOM said.
Disruption of world trade
Ambrey earlier said a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker “reported seeing two explosions” in the Gulf of Aden, a report confirmed by the British navy’s UK Merchant Marine Operations. No damage was reported.
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Source: AFP
The security firm said the missiles exploded about a mile from the India-bound oil tanker and 200-300 meters (650-1,000 feet) above the waterline. The UKMTO said they were detonated in water.
The Houthis began targeting Red Sea ships in November, saying they were striking ships linked to Israel to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
They have since declared that US and British interests are also legitimate targets.
In addition to strikes targeting the Houthis, the United States is leading a coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea — an effort the Pentagon has likened to highway patrol for the waterway.
Washington is also seeking to put diplomatic and economic pressure on the Houthis, redesignating them as a terrorist organization last week after previously dropping that label soon after President Joe Biden took office.
Attacks by the rebels — who are part of the anti-Israel, anti-Western alliance of Iranian proxies and allies — have disrupted trade in the Red Sea, which carries about 12 percent of international maritime traffic.
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Several shipping companies have diverted from the Red Sea, instead following the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.
This new pressure follows difficult years for the industry during the Covid-19 pandemic, when fares reached unprecedented levels due to disruptions in supply chains.
Source: AFP