Houthi rebels in Yemen on Friday (January 26) stepped up attacks on ships passing through the Red Sea, targeting many ships passing through this international waterway and causing an oil tanker to catch fire. .
The UK ship was hit by a missile and caught fire
Singapore-based trading company Trafigura said a missile struck the UK tanker Marlin Luanda as it passed through the Red Sea. A Trafigura spokesman said the ship was carrying Russian oil purchased below the ceiling price under G7 sanctions.
In an emailed statement, Trafigura said the ship’s firefighting equipment was being deployed to extinguish and control a fire in a cargo tank on the starboard side. “We remain in contact with the vessel and are monitoring the situation carefully,” the agency said, adding military vessels were underway to assist.
Houthi rebel attacks mainly target container ships moving through the Red Sea. However, many tankers continue to use this route. On Friday, the Free Spirit, carrying crude oil, also turned around before reaching the Gulf of Aden, shortly after the attack on the Marlin Luanda, according to data from LSEG.
Previously, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and UK maritime security company Ambrey said they had received reports of ships being attacked in the Red Sea near the Gulf of Aden. and a fire broke out on the ship.
“UKMTO has received reports of an incident approximately 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden, where a vessel was hit by a missile and remains on fire. Crew members are said to be safe,” the statement said. know. UKMTO added: “Coalition warships are present and supporting the ship.”
The Houthi rebel spokesman also confirmed that their navy carried out an operation targeting the UK oil tanker Marlin Luanda in the Gulf of Aden, causing a fire to break out.
US warships were also targeted
Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Friday also launched a missile at a US destroyer USS Carney patrolling the Gulf of Aden, forcing the ship to shoot down the missile.
Specifically, the US military said in a statement that they shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile launched from an area controlled by the Houthi rebel group in Yemen and there were no injuries or damage.
The US guided missile destroyer USS Carney is operating in the Red Sea. Photo: US Department of Defense
The attack on the destroyer USS Carney marked a further escalation in the largest maritime confrontation the US Navy has seen in the Middle East in decades.
An anonymous US official said the attack on the Carney was the first time Houthi forces directly targeted a US warship since the rebels began attacking shipping in the Red Sea in October.
Houthi attacks have disrupted trade in the Red Sea, which carries about 12% of international maritime traffic. Some shipping companies have diverted away from the Red Sea, instead taking the longer and more expensive route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, causing freight rates to rise and supplies to be disrupted worldwide. bridge.
