Dubai, July 16 2024 – Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for targeting two oil tankers in the Red Sea with missiles and drones, following reports of several attacks in the troubled waterway by a British security agency.
In a statement on social media platform X, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree identified the two targeted ships as BENTLEY I, a Panama-flagged oil tanker, and the CHIOS LION, a Liberia-flagged crude oil tanker. According to Saree, 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 Houthi rebels claimed the attacks were due to the ships’ owners using Israeli ports.
UK Maritime Trade Operations Reports
Earlier on Monday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two separate incidents in the Red Sea. One attack involved a ship sailing southwest of the port city of Hodeidah, which came under assault from three small vessels, two of which had three people on board each. The third skiff was unmanned and collided with the vessel twice. The manned small craft also fired at the ship, but the attack was aborted after 15 minutes. The vessel and crew were reported safe, and the ship continued to its next port of call.
UKMTO also reported that the same ship later experienced four missile explosions in close proximity, causing no injuries or damage. British maritime security firm Ambrey noted that the merchant vessel had a private armed security team on board.
In another separate incident, an uncrewed surface vessel impacted a merchant vessel 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, causing some damage and light smoke. The vessel and crew were reported safe and proceeded to their next destination.
Despite the presence of Western naval forces in the Red Sea to protect ships, Houthi drone and missile strikes have persisted. Since January, the United States and Britain have conducted repeated retaliatory strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. On Sunday, the US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces had destroyed several Houthi drones to “protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure,” according to a post on social media platform X.
