Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility this Monday for attacks in the Red Sea against two ships linked to Israel, including the Swan Atlantic, which belongs to a Norwegian company.
“The Yemeni armed forces carried out a military operation against two ships linked to the Zionist entity using seaplanes,” the Iran-backed rebel group said in a statement, identifying the first ship as the Swan Atlantic and the second as the MSC Clara.
Hours earlier, British fuel company BP announced the suspension of all traffic in the Red Sea due to repeated attacks.
At the end of last week, the Danish company Maersk, the German Hapag-Lloyd, the French CMA CGM and the Italian-Swiss MSC announced that their ships would stop using the Red Sea until further notice, at least until today or until the step remains safe.
Yemeni rebels have increased attacks in recent weeks near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which separates the Arabian Peninsula from Africa and through which 40% of world trade passes.
The Houthis have repeatedly warned that they will attack ships sailing off the coast of Yemen if they have links to Israel, in response to the war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Several missiles and drones were shot down by warships patrolling the area.
This Monday, the Houthis reiterated their intention to “continue preventing all ships bound for Israeli ports from sailing through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea,” until more food and medicine are supplied to enter the Gaza Strip.
The Norwegian owner of the Swan Atlantic reported that the tanker, which was heading from mainland France to Reunion Island, was hit by an “unidentified object.”
“Fortunately, the Indian crew was not injured and the ship suffered limited damage,” Norwegian shipowner Inventor Chemical Tankers said in a statement.
The Swan Atlantic is now under the protection of the United States Navy.
This morning, two maritime security agencies reported an explosion off the coast of Yemen, coinciding with a visit to the region by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Source: TSF
