The latest attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea hit a Greek-owned and operated oil tanker with a ballistic missile on Saturday morning, according to US officials.
The Iran-backed group hit the oil tanker Wind at around 1am local time with an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM). The Wind, a Panamanian-flagged ship, recently docked in Russia and was on its way to China.
The missile caused “flooding that resulted in the loss of propulsion and steering. A coalition ship immediately responded to M/T Wind’s distress call, but no assistance was required,” U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement. declaration.
Authorities said the tanker’s crew was able to restore steering and propulsion. There were no casualties and the ship “resumed its course under its own power”.
The Houthis have been attacking ships passing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last year. They are pressuring Israel to stop the bombing of Gaza, which has so far killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials.
The conflict began after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, which killed around 1,200 Israelis in the south of the country and took around 250 hostages.
While missile and drone attacks by the Houthis have been less common in recent weeks, their attacks on ships in the region have disrupted shipping lanes, with ships being forced to take longer routes that cost more money and take longer to complete.
“This continued malign and reckless behavior by the Iran-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of sailors in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” CENCTOM said on Saturday in its statement.
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