SANAA, Yemen: On Monday, Yemen’s Houthi claimed responsibility for attacking two oil tankers in the Red Sea, following reports of multiple incidents in the volatile region by a British security agency. The attacks mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict in the area, targeting maritime operations.
Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree identified the tankers as BENTLEY I, a Panama-flagged oil tanker, and CHIOS LION, a Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker. The BENTLEY I was attacked using drone boats, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ballistic missiles, while the CHIOS LION was targeted with uncrewed surface vessels. The spokesperson stated the attacks were in retaliation against the tankers’ owners for utilizing Israeli ports.
Earlier on the same day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two separate incidents in the Red Sea. One incident involved a ship sailing southwest of Hodeidah, which came under attack from three small vessels. Two of these vessels had three people each onboard, and the third was unmanned. The unmanned vessel collided with the ship twice, while the manned vessels fired upon it. The attack was aborted after 15 minutes, with no reported injuries or damage to the ship and its crew.
Additionally, four missiles exploded in close proximity to the same ship, though they caused no damage or injuries. British maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed the attack and noted that the merchant vessel had a private armed security team onboard.
In a separate incident, an uncrewed surface vessel impacted another merchant vessel 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, causing some damage and light smoke. The vessel and its crew are safe and continued to their next port of call.
These incidents occurred despite the deployment of Western naval forces in the Red Sea aimed at protecting shipping lanes in this critical global trade route. Since January, the US and Britain have conducted multiple retaliatory strikes against Huothi targets in Yemen. On Sunday, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) reported destroying several Houthi drones, emphasizing the actions were necessary to ensure the safety and security of international waters and maintain freedom of navigation.
