Houthi forces have hit another two ships off Yemen, as continued strikes are damaging and sinking a growing number of vessels and disrupting maritime trade.
The Houthis on Sunday 23 June said they had attacked two ships in the Red Sea and Indian ocean. The MV Transworld Navigator, a Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned, and operated bulk cargo carrier was hit by what the Houthis said was an uncrewed surface vessel (USV) while the US military’s Central Command (Centcom) said it was also hit by an unmanned aerial system (UAS).
The crew reported minor injuries and moderate damage to the ship, but the vessel has continued underway. MV Transworld Navigator most recently docked in Malaysia and was en route to Egypt. This marks the fourth attack by Iranian-backed Houthis on the MV Transworld Navigator, Centcom said.
Also on Sunday, the product tanker MV Stolt Sequoia was attacked in the Indian Ocean by a number of cruise missiles. Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said the ships belonged to companies that “violated the ban on entering the ports of occupied Palestine.” Saree also claimed Houthi attacks drove the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower away – the carrier had just left the region.
“Recent claims about a successful attack by Houthi forces on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN-69) are categorically false,” Centcom said.
The Houthis also claimed to have carried out a joint military operation with an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia, known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, to target four vessels in Israel’s Haifa port on Saturday, although there has been no confirmation of this from the Israeli side.
The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and unmanned systems in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November.
Most recently, the MV Tutor was sunk last week after hit by a Houthi unmanned boat in the Red Sea and an “unknown airborne projectile” on 12 June.
In March, the Belize-flagged Rubymar carried a load of fertiliser sank in the Red Sea after taking on water for days following a Houthi attack.
The Houthis claim that attacks are targeting ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain, but many have little or no connection to the Israel-Gaza war – including those bound for the Houthis’ main benefactor, Iran.
Last week, the shipping community, speaking on behalf of 14 of the leading global shipping associations, says it was appalled and deeply saddened with the tragic news that yet another seafarer seems certain to have been killed in a drone boat strike on 12 June while on board the MV Tutor in the Red Sea.
“We utterly condemn these assaults which directly contravene the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation.
“This is the second fatal attack in which our seafarers have been caught in the crosshairs of geopolitical conflicts. Three seafarers tragically lost their lives when the True Confidence was attacked earlier this year. And we must not forget the crew members from the Galaxy Leader and MSC Aries who are still being held captive.
“Furthermore, we strongly condemn the attack on the cargo ship Verbena on Thursday 13 June which left a seafarer severely injured by anti-ship cruise missiles.
“This is an unacceptable situation, and these attacks must stop now. We call for States with influence in the region to safeguard our innocent seafarers and for the swift de-escalation of the situation in the Red Sea. We have heard the condemnation and appreciate the words of support, but we urgently seek action to stop the unlawful attacks on these vital workers and this vital industry,” the shipping industry letter stated.
