Red Sea: Houthis strike Israel-linked oil tanker
Iran-aligned Houthi armed group launched missiles towards the Red Sea on Sunday, striking an Israel-linked oil tanker, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported.
IMAGE: Getty Images
The Yemen-based militant group struck the vessel about 40 nautical miles (NM) southwest of Red Sea port city of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, the UKMTO reported.
“A Master has reported to UKMTO that they witnessed a splash in close proximity to their vessel from an unknown projectile and heard a loud bang,” it said.
The Yemeni militia’s spokesperson Yahya Sare’e has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Scarlet Ray, a Liberia-flagged oil tanker, was hit by ballistic missile, he said.
The news has renewed threats to commercial shipping in the region and boosted Brent crude’s price.
The Scarlet Ray is linked to Israel, according to the Houthis. The vessel is currently proceeding to its next port of call, UKMTO reported.
The oil tanker’s Singapore-based manager, Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), is owned by Israeli magnate Idan Ofer, Reuters reports.
The Houthis have used ballistic missiles to attack commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea.
These repeated attacks on commercial vessels have heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and raised safety concerns in the global shipping industry.
By Aparupa Mazumder
Please get in touch with comments or additional info to news@engine.online
