[PICTURES] Who are the Houthi rebels and why are they attacking Red Sea ships?

[FearlessRoar]

Why have the Houthis attacked Red Sea ships?

The attacks began after the start of the Israel-Hamas war on 7 October.

The Houthis declared their support for Hamas and said they will target any ship travelling to Israel. It is not clear that all of the ships attacked were actually heading there.

In November they seized what they said was an Israeli cargo ship.

They since have attacked several commercial vessels with drones and ballistic missiles.

In response, the US has launched an international naval operation to protect ships. Countries including the UK, Canada, France, Bahrain, Norway and Spain have joined.

Major shipping firms including Mediterranean Shipping Company, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and the oil company BP have all said they are diverting vessels away from the Red Sea.

Washington has accused Iran of being "deeply involved" in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

Who are the Houthi rebels?

The Houthis are an armed group from a sub-sect of Yemen's Shia Muslim minority, the Zaidis. They take their name from the movement's founder, Hussein al Houthi.

The group was formed in the 1990s to combat what they saw as the corruption of the then-president, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

President Saleh, backed by Saudi Arabia's military, tried to eliminate the Houthi rebels in 2003, but the Houthis repelled them both.

The Houthi rebels have been fighting a civil war since 2014 against Yemen's government. The government has been backed against the Houthis by a coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

By the start of 2022, the war had caused an estimated 377,000 deaths and displaced four million people, according to the UN.

The Houthis declare themselves to be part of the Iranian-led "axis of resistance" against Israel, the US and the wider West - along with Hamas and Hezbollah.

Who backs the Houthi rebels?

The Houthi rebels model themselves on the Shia armed group in Lebanon, Hezbollah.

Hezbollah has been providing them with extensive military expertise and training since 2014, according to the US research institute, the Combating Terrorism Center.

The Houthis also consider Iran as an ally, because Saudi Arabia is their common enemy.

Iran is suspected of supplying the Houthi rebels with weapons, and the US says Iranian intelligence is critical to enabling them to target ships.

"We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea," White House national security spokesperson Adrienne Watson said.

"This is consistent with Iran's long-term material support and encouragement of the Houthis' destabilizing actions in the region."

Iran denies involvement in attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea.

The US and Saudi Arabia says Iran supplied the ballistic missiles which the Houthis fired at the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in 2017, but which were shot down.

Iran 'supplied missile to Yemen rebels'

Saudi Arabia also blamed Iran for supplying the cruise missiles and drones that the Houthis used to attack Saudi oil installations in 2019.

The Houthis have fired ten of thousands of short-range missiles into Saudi Arabia, and have also attacked targets in the UAE. They have also fired ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel since the start of the war in Gaza.

Supplying these weapons would breach a UN arms embargo. Iran has denied doing so.

The official government of Yemen is the Presidential Leadership Council, to which President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi transferred his powers in April 2022.

However, the government is based in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after Hadi fled there in 2015.

Most of the Yemeni population lives in areas under Houthi control. As well as Sanaa and the north of Yemen, the Houthi rebels control the Red Sea coastline.

The group collects taxes and also prints money.

The UN Security Council said that by 2010 the Houthis had between 100,000 and 120,000 followers, made up of armed troops and unarmed supporters.

Source: BBC

Who are the Houthis and why are they attacking Red Sea ships?

The Houthi rebels have launched attacks on over 40 ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

www.bbc.com

America alleges that Iran is backing these Houthi rebels. If true, is it Iran's right tactic or is it destroying the peace of the region?

 

[FearlessRoar]

Iran has consistently engaged in proxy wars in the Middle East. After the genocide in Gaza, Iran seems desperate to harm Israel in some way. If America's allegations are true, then Houthi rebels could be a source of revenge for Iran, aiming to inflict economic damage on Israel.

 

[FearlessRoar]

India drone strike: Cargo ship attacked off Gujarat coast

The Liberia-flagged chemical products tanker was linked to Israel, according to maritime security firm Ambrey, and was heading from Saudi Arabia to India.

The attack sparked a fire onboard the ship which was put out, but none of the roughly 20 crew members were harmed.

It comes after a series of drone and rocket attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

The group, which controls much of Yemen, has carried out more than 100 drone and missile attacks on 10 vessels, according to US officials. It claims to be targeting Israel over the war in Gaza.

Many large global shipping groups have suspended operations in the Red Sea due to the increased risk of attacks.

But it is not yet clear who was behind the strike near India on Saturday.

The incident took place 200 nautical miles (370km) south-west of the city of Veraval, according the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

It caused structural damage to the tanker - identified in Indian media as the crude oil-carrying MV Chem Pluto - and water was taken onboard.

Ambrey said the event, which is the first of its kind so far away from the Red Sea, fell within an area the firm considered a "heightened threat area" for Iranian drones.

The Indian navy sent an aircraft and warships to offer assistance.

Earlier on Saturday, the US accused Iran of being "deeply involved" in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

National security spokesperson Adrienne Watson said it was "consistent with Iran's long-term material support and encouragement of the Houthis' destabilising actions in the region".

Later, an Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander warned it would force the closure of waterways other than the Red Sea if "America and its allies continue committing crimes" in Gaza.

Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Naqdi said these could include the Mediterranean Sea and Strait of Gibraltar - but offered no details of how this would happen.

Source: BBC

India drone strike: Cargo ship attacked off Gujarat coast

The tanker is reportedly linked to Israel, and the strike follows Houthi attacks on Red Sea ships.

www.bbc.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

Apparently the attacked tanker was linked to Israel. If the allegations of Iran's involvement in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea are true, and considering Houthi rebels' attacks on ships in the region, Israel could potentially suffer economic damage due to these incidents. This situation raises concerns for global shipping operations in the affected areas.

 

[Champ_Pal]

Iran is trying to punch way above its weight class. It will not end well for them.

 

[Asad T]

I work in the shipping industry. Shipping rates have skyrocketed in the wake of ships being attacked. Basically, ships are now avoiding sailing the shortest route via the Suez Canal and voyage days increase, when this happens, freight freights go wild. It could trigger inflation fears again. And also it will hurt Egypt's economy hard if less ships transit their canal.

 

[FearlessRoar]

I work in the shipping industry. Shipping rates have skyrocketed in the wake of ships being attacked. Basically, ships are now avoiding sailing the shortest route via the Suez Canal and voyage days increase, when this happens, freight freights go wild. It could trigger inflation fears again. And also it will hurt Egypt's economy hard if less ships transit their canal.

It means that attacks on cargo ships will also affect the cost of living in Pakistan. Pakistan is a consuming state because we depend on imported goods.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Iran's deputy foreign minister Saturday dismissed U.S. accusations that Tehran was involved in attacks by Yemeni rebels on commercial ships, saying the group was acting on its own.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi rebels have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels in the Red Sea, according to the Pentagon, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is battling Hamas militants.

On Friday, the White House released U.S. intelligence that Iran provided drones, missiles, and tactical intelligence to the Houthis, who control vast parts of Yemen including the capital, Sanaa.

"The resistance (Houthis) has its own tools... and acts in accordance with its own decisions and capabilities," said Ali Bagheri, Iran's deputy foreign minister.

"The fact that certain powers, such as the Americans and the Israelis, suffer strikes from the resistance movement... should in no way call into question the reality of the strength of the resistance in the region," he told Mehr news agency.

Earlier Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said Washington had previously asked Iran to advise Yemeni rebels not to act against U.S. and Israeli interests in the region.

"We have made it clear to the Americans that these groups have decided, based on their interests, on how to support Gaza," said Amirabdollahian during a conference in Tehran in support of Palestinians.

"We have not and will not order them to stop the attacks."

The Gaza Strip has endured 11 weeks of Israeli air and ground attacks that killed more than 20,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run coastal territory.

Israel has vowed to crush Hamas after the Palestinian militant group carried out a cross-border attack on October 7 that killed around 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians.

Palestinian militants also abducted about 250 people, 129 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza.

Iran, which supports Hamas financially and militarily, has hailed the October 7 attack on Israel but denied any involvement.

The Islamic republic has repeatedly warned of a widening conflict, and last month Amirabdollahian said the intensity of the war has rendered its expansion "inevitable."

President Ebrahim Raisi has said Iran sees it as "its duty to support the resistance groups" but insisted that they "are independent in their opinion, decision and action."

Last month, Tehran dismissed as "invalid" Israel's accusations that Houthi rebels were acting on Tehran's "guidance" when they seized a Red Sea ship owned by an Israeli businessman.

Source: VOA

Iran Dismisses US Claims It Is Involved in Houthi Ship Attacks

Iran says group acted on its own

www.voanews.com

 

[Champ_Pal]

Iran’s mullah regime is the reason for all M.E unrest.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Iran’s mullah regime is the reason for all M.E unrest.

That's correct. They have allegedly been involved in proxy wars in the Middle East.

 

[FearlessRoar]

A chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean was hit by a drone launched from Iran on Saturday, the US military says.

A fire on board the Chem Pluto was extinguished. There were no casualties.

Iran has not commented. Houthi rebels in Yemen - who are backed by Iran and support Hamas in its war with Israel - have recently used drones and rockets to target vessels in the Red Sea.

But this event is the first of its kind so far away from there, according to maritime security firm Ambrey.

The same company also said the vessel was heading from Saudi Arabia to India, and was linked to Israel. The Houthis have claimed to be targeting Israel-linked vessels over the conflict in Gaza.

The US said the Chem Pluto was hit by "a one-way attack drone fired from Iran". It is believed to be the first time the US has publicly accused Iran of targeting a ship directly.

It has previously accused Iran of being "deeply involved" in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea - a charge Tehran has denied.

However, Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned they could force the closure of waterways other than the Red Sea if "America and its allies continue committing crimes" in Gaza.

The Pentagon statement said the Chem Pluto, "a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker", was struck on Saturday at 10:00 local time (06:00 GMT). The hit caused structural damage.

The incident took place 200 nautical miles (370km) south-west of the city of Veraval in India's Gujarat state, according to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

Ambrey said the event fell within an area considered a "heightened threat area" for Iranian drones.

The Indian navy sent an aircraft and warships to offer assistance. The BBC was not able to independently verify the incident.

In a separate development, the US Central Command (Centcom) said that on Saturday "two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes in the Southern Red Sea from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. No ships reported being impacted".

It also said the USS Laboon warship patrolling the area "shot down four unmanned aerial drones originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen that were inbound" to the American vessel.

Later that day, a crude oil tanker reported being hit by a Houthi drone in the southern Red Sea, while another tanker saw a near miss.

Many global shipping groups have suspended operations in the Red Sea due to the increased risk of attacks. The UK government has vowed to ensure the route's safety.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told the Sunday Times newspaper that the UK was committed to repelling attacks on vessels - and would not allow the Red Sea to become a "no-go area".

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary David Cameron described Iran as a "thoroughly malign influence in the region and in the world".

He said the Iranian leadership and its proxies needed to be sent an "incredibly clear message that this escalation will not be tolerated".

Chris Farrell from Neptune P2P Group, a UK maritime security company, described nervousness in the region and observed that container ships were proving more likely to reroute than larger vessels."Nobody really knows the situation out there," he told the BBC World Service's Weekend programme.

"Because of the lack of stability, that's creating the uncertainty with the clients and the shipping companies which are putting their assets within that region."

Source: BBC

Tanker hit off India coast by drone from Iran, says US

Saturday's attack caused a fire on board the chemical tanker in the Indian Ocean, the US military says.

www.bbc.com

 

[Asad T]

You know what the ironic thing about these attacks is?

First, they started attacking ships owned by an Israli company called ZIM. The owner of Zim is the second-richest Israeli family, the Ofer family.

In the leadup to the Houthi striks, container shipping rates were plummeting. But ever since, container ships have refused to transit the Suez Canal, and this has boosted shipping rates substantially. And who has benefited? The Ofer family! The share price of ZIM has almost doubled since.

And who has suffered? Innocent seafares (mainly Filipinos, Indians, and Pakistanis) who have nothing to do with the war in Gaza.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

According to Houthis sources, they will repeat such actions again in future if Israel does not end its atrocities in Gaza.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Explosives "Detonated Fully": Navy Finds Debris Of Drone That Hit Ship

The explosives that had struck merchant ship MV Chem Pluto had detonated fully, experts who examined the remains have found. It was suspected that the ship, which returned to Mumbai yesterday with a huge gash on her stern, was struck by a drone 400 km off India's west coast. Going by the remains of the attack vehicle, the experts who examined the ship today, have concluded that it was indeed a drone.

After sanitisation and preliminary analysis, which is now in Mumbai, Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialists have said that the explosive charge on the drone "detonated completely causing extensive damage above waterline".

"Remnants of projectile have been collected by the Indian Navy for further forensic analysis," the Indian Navy told the media.

Consequent to the drone strike, India will now deploy warships, aircraft and other assets in the Indian Ocean to protect merchant vessels.

"In light of the recent maritime incidents in the Arabian Sea, IN has commenced focused maritime security operations in the region. The presence of IN warships and air surveillance in the region has been enhanced. Actions are being progressed in coordination with national maritime agencies towards ensuring safety of merchant marine in the region," the Navy said.

Already, the Navy and the Indian Coast Guard have moved destroyers in the Arabian Sea. Three warships -- MV Mormugao, Kochi and Kolkata -- and maritime patrol aircraft was deployed on Saturday soon after the UK Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, reported the drone attack.

Yemen's Houthi rebel group has been stepping up its attack on ships in the Red Sea shipping lane in retaliation to Israel's air strikes in Gaza.

The MV Chem Pluto, though, was struck while passing Iran -- the obvious conclusion from the situation has been vehemently denied by Iran.

The US Defence headquarters Pentagon has said the ship was hit by "a one-way attack drone fired from Iran".

India will track down those behind attacks on Merchant Navy ships, "even from the depths of the sea" and take action against them, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said.

MV Chem Pluto, an oil tanker, had sailed from Saudi Arabia and was headed for Mangaluru in Karnataka when it was attacked.

A second oil tanker - the Gabon-registered MV Sai Baba, with 25 Indian crew members on board - was also attacked by a drone in the Southern Red Sea, Indian and American military officials have said.



Source: NDTV

 

[hassan918]

Yemen's Houthis claim responsibility for Red Sea container ship attack​

DUBAI, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Tuesday on a container ship in the Red Sea, and for an attempt to attack Israel with drones.

MSC Mediterranean Shipping said there were no injuries to its crew from the attack on its ship, the United VIII, en route from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan. It said the ship had informed a nearby coalition naval warship that it had come under attack and had taken evasive manoeuvres.

Israel said separately that its aircraft had intercepted a hostile aerial target in the Red Sea area.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a televised address the group had targeted the vessel, which he identified as the MSC United, after the crew failed to respond to warnings.

He also said the Houthis had carried out a military operation targeting Eilat and other areas in Israel, which he referred to as occupied Palestine. He did not say whether any of the targets were successfully hit.

The Houthis, who control much of Yemen including the capital, have since October attacked commercial vessels in the Red Sea that they say have Israeli links or are sailing to Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Britain's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Authority earlier reported two incidents of explosions in the Red Sea off of the coast of Yemen involving missiles and drones near a vessel. It also said there were no reported injuries.

The reported incidents come a week after the United States announced a multinational maritime security initiative in the Red Sea in response to attacks on vessels by Yemen's Houthis.

Several shipping lines have suspended operations through the Red Sea waterway in response to the attacks, instead taking the longer journey around Africa.

The Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks until Israel halts the conflict in Gaza, and warned that it would attack U.S. warships if the militia group itself was targeted.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/vessel-near-yemen-said-report-drones-explosions-red-sea-2023-12-26/

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Israel-Palestine war: Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd will continue to avoid Red Sea amid Houthi attacks​

Shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd AG will keep diverting vessels from the Red Sea, even as other container companies announce plans to restart transit through the waterway.

The German shipping company said it was continuing to assess the situation in the Red Sea, as a new US-led task force deploys to the area to provide enhanced maritime security.

The US announced the task force last week in response to a series of missile and drone attacks by the Houthis, which the Iran-aligned group said were a response to the Israeli assault on Gaza.

The US says the Houthis have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks on at least 10 commercial vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade flows and sending shipping costs higher, particularly for container ships hauling goods between Europe and Asia.

Maersk said on Sunday that its vessels would resume sailing in the area because of the new US-led task force. However, other ship owners and operators have been more cautious.

MEE previously reported that Biden administration officials faced a predicament as they scrambled for a way to deter the Houthis without endangering peace talks between the group and Saudi Arabia, along with a wider de-escalation of tensions between Tehran and Riyadh.

Some in Washington called for the US to launch retaliatory strikes against the Houthis, but with the new US-led naval task force, Operation Prosperity Guardian, the US has opted for a more defensive approach, responding to distress calls from commercial vessels and shooting down drones and missiles.

On Tuesday, US Central Command said its Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group shot down twelve one-way attack drones, three anti-ship ballistic missiles, and two land attack cruise missiles fired by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea over a period of 10 hours.

The Houthi attacks have bolstered the bottom lines of shipping companies and vessel owners, who analysts say benefit from the longer travel times around Africa, but have led to higher freight costs for customers.

The Red Sea is also a key artery for the shipment of global energy supplies, with nine percent of global crude oil and petroleum products passing through the Bab al-Mandab straight in the south.

While some energy companies such as BP say they are avoiding the waterway - a move that supports energy prices - a big chunk of the oil transiting through the Red Sea is Russian crude heading to Asia.

Some industry experts say the Houthis are unlikely to purposefully target vessels carrying Russian crude, given Moscow’s cozy ties to Iran.

Brent Crude prices have nudged up somewhat as Houthi attacks intensified, but the international benchmark was trading down about one percent on Wednesday at $80.05 per barrel.

As the end of 2023 approaches, oil is on track to chalk up its first annual decline in price since 2020.

Source : Middle East Eye

 

[FearlessRoar]

Iranian-backed Houthi militants attacked a Maersk (MAERSKb.CO) container vessel with missiles and small boats, prompting the company to pause all sailing through the Red Sea for 48 hours, Maersk said on Sunday.

The crew of the Maersk Hangzhou crew was safe and there was no indication of fire onboard the vessel, which was fully manoeuvrable and continued its journey north to Port Suez, Maersk said.

The attack was the latest by Houthi militants in Yemen, who have been targeting vessels in The Red Sea to show their support for Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fighting Israel in Gaza.
The attacks have disrupted world trade, with major shipping companies taking the longer and costlier route around the Africa's Cape of Good Hope rather than through the Suez Canal.

The Red Sea is the entry point for ships using the Suez Canal, which handles about 12% of global trade and vital for the movement of goods between Asia and Europe.

The United States launched Operation Prosperity Guardian on Dec. 19, saying more than 20 countries had agreed to participate in the efforts to safeguard ships in Red Sea waters near Yemen.

In response, Maersk said on Dec. 24 it would resume sailings through the Red Sea. However, attacks have continued and U.S. allies have proven reluctant to commit to the coalition, with nearly half not declaring their presence publicly.

Maersk, one of the world's major cargo shippers, said on Sunday it would delay all transits through the area for 48 hours, after the Maersk Hangzhou was struck by a missile at around 1730 GMT on Saturday 55 nautical miles southwest of Al Hodeidah, Yemen.
A U.S. warship shot down another two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, according to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

Later at around 0330 GMT on Sunday, the same ship was attacked by Houthi militants in four small boats. An attempt by the attackers to board the vessel was averted after its security team and helicopters from the USS Eisenhower and USS Gravely, responding to distress calls, returned fire, according to statements by Maersk and CENTCOM.

The helicopters sank three of the militant boats, with no survivors, while the fourth boat fled the area, CENTCOM said in the statement.

The Singapore-flagged Maersk Hangzhou with capacity to carry 14,000 containers was en route from Singapore.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said on Sunday that he had told Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in a call that Iran should help stop the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

"I made clear that Iran shares responsibility for preventing these attacks, given their long-standing support to the Houthis," Cameron said in a post on social media site X, adding that the attacks "threaten innocent lives and the global economy".



Source: Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/maersk-pauses-red-sea-sailings-after-houthi-attack-container-ship-2023-12-31/

 

[FearlessRoar]

The US military said its navy helicopters fired at Iran-backed Huthi rebel boats off Yemen that were attacking a cargo ship, with Yemeni sources reporting 10 rebels killed.

The clash in the Red Sea marked a deadly escalation since the United States set up a multinational naval task force in early December to protect the vital shipping lane against Huthi attacks.

The rebels - who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza - have repeatedly fired drones and missiles at passing ships in the straits through which 12% of global trade passes.

US Central Command said the navy had responded to a distress call from the Maersk Hangzhou, a Singapore-flagged, Denmark-owned and operated container ship that reported coming under attack for a second time in 24 hours while transiting the Red Sea.

The vessel had earlier been targeted with two anti-ship ballistic missiles. One was shot down by the US military and the other hit the Maersk Hangzhou.

The Huthis had then fired on US helicopters, which "returned fire in self-defence", sinking three of four small boats that had come within 20 metres (65 feet) of the ship, according to the CENTCOM statement.

It said the crews of the three vessels were killed while a fourth boat fled the area.

"Ten Huthis were killed and two were wounded in the US strike on Huthi boats that tried to stop a vessel in the sea off Hodeida," said a source, who asked not to be named, at Yemen's rebel-controlled Hodeida port.

Another port source, also requesting anonymity, said that "four survivors have arrived in Hodeida with two wounded who were taken to hospital".

Maersk suspends Red Sea transit

Maersk suspended the passage of its vessels through the Red Sea strait for 48 hours after the latest of about two dozen attacks by Huthis on international shipping in six weeks.

The cargo ship, en route from Singapore to Egypt's Port Suez, had made an earlier distress call after it was struck by the Huthi missile.

CENTCOM said that assault was the 23rd illegal attack by the Huthis on international shipping since 19 November.

The vessel appeared to be undamaged and "was able to continue its transit north", Maersk, one of the world's largest shipping companies, said in a statement.

The cargo ship was then fired on by four Huthi rebel vessels that attempted to board the vessel, according to the shipping company.

"In light of the incident - and to allow time to investigate the details of the incident and assess the security situation further - it has been decided to delay all transits through the area for the next 48 hours," it added.

Israel has been pounding the besieged Palestinian territory relentlessly since the Hamas militant group launched an unprecedented attacked on 7 October.

US forces in Iraq and Syria have also repeatedly come under fire from drone and rocket attacks that Washington says are being carried out by Iran-backed armed groups.

And Israel has traded regular cross-border fire with the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

Source: RTE

US strikes kill 10 rebels attacking ship in Red Sea

The US military said its navy helicopters fired at Iran-backed Huthi rebel boats off Yemen that were attacking a cargo ship, with Yemeni sources reporting 10 rebels killed.

www.rte.ie

 

[KingKhanWC]

Brave people.

Missile and drone technology is a game changer. A $200 drone can destroy or kill many enemies.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Red Sea unrest sends freight rates skyrocketing – media

Container freight rates are surging as attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels on cargo ships in the Red Sea have forced shipping giants to send vessels around southern Africa's Cape of Good Hope, Reuters reported on Thursday.

According to data tracked by the international shipping marketplace Freightos, Asia-to-North Europe rates have more than doubled to over $4,000 per 40-foot container this week, while prices for Asia-to-Mediterranean shipping have climbed to $5,175.

Some carriers have announced rates above $6,000 per 40-foot container for Mediterranean shipments starting mid-month, and surcharges of $500 to as much as $2,700 per container could make all-in prices even higher, according to Judah Levine, Freightos' head of research, as cited by the agency.

The price leap is attributed to attacks carried out by Yemen-based Houthi militants across a key artery leading to the Suez Canal, and have so far forced global shipping majors to send cargo ships on the long journey around Africa. The prolonged voyages last up to 20 days more, and are leading to a shortage of container ships.

“People desperate to get space (on ships), are going to pay,” Christian Sur, executive vice president for ocean freight at Unique Logistics, told the agency.

Freight rates for shipping to North American ports have been less affected, but have also risen.

Rates for shipments from Asia to North America's East Coast have surged 55% to $3,900 per 40-foot container, while West Coast prices have soared 63% to over $2,700 ahead of expected cargo diversions to avoid Red Sea-related issues, according to Levine.

On Tuesday, US Central Command said a US destroyer on patrol in the Red Sea shot down two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, while it was responding to a report that a commercial vessel had been struck by a missile.

The attacks on vessels in the Red Sea area are being carried out by Yemen-based Houthi rebels, who claim they are acting in support of Hamas, following the escalation of hostilities between Israel and the Palestinian armed group in Gaza.

Source: RT

Red Sea unrest sends freight rates skyrocketing – media

Ocean freight rates are surging as carriers have to reroute vessels due to attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels in the Red Sea

www.rt.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

The US, UK and 10 other states have warned rebels in Yemen they will face consequences if they continue to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

In a joint statement, the group of mainly Western countries called for an immediate end to the attacks.

However the Houthis have responded with defiance, vowing to continue targeting vessels they consider linked to Israel.

The situation in the strategically vital southern Red Sea is now at a stand-off.

The Bab al-Mandab strait is a critical waterway through which almost 15% of global trade passes. If attacks continue, the fear is that fuel prices will rise and supply chains will be damaged.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have declared support for Hamas in the war it launched against Israel in October. Since November, the rebels have attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea more than 20 times using missiles, drones, fast boats and helicopters. They have claimed - often falsely - the ships were linked to Israel.

US and British warships in the region have intercepted some missiles but they have resisted attacking targets in Yemen itself. That may be about to change.

In their statement, the group of 12 states - Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK and the US - called the attacks on shipping "illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilising" and said there was "no lawful justification for intentionally targeting civilian shipping and naval vessels".

Any armed response is likely to mean armed action against Houthi bases, boats and weapons.

US, British and French warships in the Red Sea all have the capability to shoot down Houthi missiles and drones but it is getting expensive and they can't be sure to hit every single one, especially if the Houthis decide to launch a "swarm" attack - launching multiple drones and missiles at once, as Russia has been doing in Ukraine.

Yemen may be the poorest Arab nation but the Houthis have a large stockpile of missiles and drones.

The International Chamber of Shipping says 20% of the world's container ships are avoiding the Red Sea and steaming around southern Africa instead.

In a debate at the UN Security Council on Wednesday evening, there was unanimous condemnation of the Houthi attacks but there were also warnings against further escalation.

The US ambassador to the UN for management and reform, Chris Lu, said the attacks posed "grave implications for maritime security, international shipping and commerce". Iran's role, he added, was "the root of the problem". "Iran has long enabled these attacks by the Houthis," he said.

Iran has denied supporting the strikes. Despite this, it is unclear how it may respond if Western air strikes are launched against its Yemeni allies.

The group comes from a sub-sect of the country's Shia Muslim minority, the Zaidis. They take their name from the movement's founder, Hussein al Houthi.

They have been fighting a civil war since 2014 against Yemen's government and control both the capital Sana'a and the north of the country, as well as the Red Sea coastline.

The government has been backed against the Houthis by a coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Source: BBC

Houthis defiant after warning over Red Sea attacks

The US, UK and other states tell Yemen's rebels they will face consequences if attacks persist.

www.bbc.com

 

[cricketjoshila]

Iran needs to learn to control its proxies or if Indian ships are being attacked with Iran's concurrence then Iran is dragging India into a conflict.

India has no dog here. But dragged into a conflict, India will have to respond.

3 missile destroyers have been deployed. I hope we won't have to use them.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Iran needs to learn to control its proxies or if Indian ships are being attacked with Iran's concurrence then Iran is dragging India into a conflict.

India has no dog here. But dragged into a conflict, India will have to respond.

3 missile destroyers have been deployed. I hope we won't have to use them.

Why would India be dragged into this conflict?

 

[cricketjoshila]

Why would India be dragged into this conflict?

Because Ships coming to India are being attacked.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Because Ships coming to India are being attacked.

And?

It is up to the shipping providers to follow a safe route.

Is India the world shipping police?

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council asks Houthis not to start a new war

Yemen’s internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council cautioned the Houthis on Thursday against driving Yemen into a conflict with international powers over their Red Sea strikes, according to the official news agency SABA.

The PLC said at a meeting in Riyadh that the Houthis are attempting to spark a war with international powers by intensifying their attacks on ships in the Red Sea, warning that any new conflict would exacerbate Yemen’s already dire humanitarian situation and accusing the Houthis of attempting to embroil the country in another war by exploiting Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

“In this context, the council held the Houthi militias entirely accountable for the implications and terrible consequences of their terrorist assaults on commercial ships, as well as for converting territorial waters into a theater for an international conflict,” SABA quoted the council as saying.

The PLC said that if the international community had helped the Yemeni government in its efforts to evict the Houthis from regions of Yemen under their control, the militia would not have presented a danger to international navigation traffic in the Red Sea.

The council’s warning came only a day after the UN, the UK, Canada, and other nations warned the Houthis to cease attacking ships in the Red Sea or face “consequences,” which might include military operations against them.

The Houthis have seized a commercial ship and fired ballistic missiles and drones at commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea, threatening to close the crucial trade corridor to all Israel-bound and Israeli-operated ships.

The Houthis claim that the attacks were carried out to put pressure on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza.

Separately, Yemen’s government and the Houthis have traded accusations for delaying long-awaited prisoner swap talks.

Following a previous round of discussions, both parties agreed to meet again this month in the Jordanian capital of Amman to explore reaching a fresh prisoner exchange agreement that might liberate hundreds of Yemeni captives, including well-known Houthi-held Yemeni politician Mohammed Qahtan. They also agreed to exchange visits to one other’s jails.

Majed Fadhail, a member of the government delegation, told Arab News on Thursday that the prisoner swap talks had been postponed “indefinitely” and accused the Houthis of refusing to attend the meeting without giving a reason, as well as refusing to allow Qahtan’s family to visit him or know his whereabouts.

The Houthis’ refusal to free Qahtan, who has been imprisoned since 2015, forced the Yemeni government to suspend negotiations with the militia last year.

“For the last eight years, they have refused to reveal his condition, allow his family to see him, or enable him to contact his family,” Fadhail said, adding that the Yemeni government would only allow the Houthis to visit prisons in the government-controlled Marib after they allow Qahtan to see his family.

However, the leader of the Houthis’ prisoner exchange committee, Abdulkader Al-Murtada, accused the Yemeni government on Thursday of hindering the next round of negotiations by refusing to follow previously negotiated UN-brokered pledges, presumably referring to prison visits.

“We have no problem participating in any round of discussions on the prisoners’ issue provided we get assurances from the UN that the prior accords that it backed would be implemented,” Al-Murtada said on social media platform X.

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2436301/middle-east

 

[shortbread]

This is a rent seeking gesture that could get out of hand for the Houthis. Had it not been for the multiple ongoing conflicts we would have had a global 'multilateral' force bombing the heck out of Yemen and high fiving each other. Yaay the good people won. The Yemenis are sitting ducks here with no support in the neighborhood. There is nothing the west loves more than killing unarmed civilians with no reprisals.

The theory so far has been that Israel will be surrounded by the axis of resistance into a war on multiple fronts. What if it's the other way round? What if Iran and it's allies are being drawn into this war?

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Houthis launch sea drone to attack ships hours after US, allies issue final warning

An armed unmanned surface vessel launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen got within a “couple of miles” of U.S. Navy and commercial vessels in the Red Sea before detonating on Thursday, just hours after the White House and a host of partner nations issued a final warning to the Iran-backed militia group to cease the attacks or face potential military action.

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East, said it was the first time the Houthis had used an unmanned surface vessel, or USV, since their harassment of commercial ships in the Red Sea began after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. They have, however, used them in years past.

Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the USV’s are a key part of the Houthi maritime arsenal and were used during previous battles against the Saudi coalition forces that intervened in Yemen’s war. They have regularly been used as suicide drone boats that explode upon impact.

Most of the Houthis’ USVs are likely assembled in Yemen but often fitted with components made in Iran, such as computerized guidance systems, Hinz said.

Houthis launch sea drone to attack ships hours after US, allies issue final warning

An armed unmanned surface vessel launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen got within a “couple of miles” of U.S.

apnews.com

 

[topspin]

Why would India be dragged into this conflict?

Because they are the next shuppapower.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

It's staggering that the world unites to protect ships from houthi fireworks but finds its acceptable to stand by while kids are blown apart.

 

[shortbread]

It's staggering that the world unites to protect ships from houthi fireworks but finds its acceptable to stand by while kids are blown apart.

As cruel as it sounds, unlike the latter shipping lanes have an economic impact.

 

[cricketjoshila]

And?

It is up to the shipping providers to follow a safe route.

Is India the world shipping police?

By attacking Indian ships or ships that are carrying cargo to India through international waters they are dragging India into a war, India has nothing to do with.

Red Sea and Suez canal are not Iranian or Yemeni territories. They are part of global trade routes.

If cargoes to India are attacked and international freight rates increase and cause inflation in India, India has no option but to retaliate.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Because they are the next shuppapower.

Atleast we are not roaming around the world with a begging bowl.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Cargo Ship With 15 Indians Hijacked Off Somalia, Navy Keeps Close Watch

A cargo ship, 'MV LILA NORFOLK' has been hijacked late last evening near the coast of Somalia and is being closely watched by the Indian Navy which has rushed a warship towards it, military officials said on Friday.
The hijacked ship has 15 Indians on board and communication has been established with the crew.

As per military officials, the information about the ship being hijacked off Somalia coast was received on Thursday evening. Moreover, the Indian Navy aircraft have been keeping a watch on the ship.

Additionally, the Indian Navy warship INS Chennai is moving towards the hijacked vessel to tackle the situation.

Source: NDTV

Cargo Ship With 15 Indians Hijacked Off Somalia, Navy Keeps Close Watch

A cargo ship, 'MV LILA NORFOLK' has been hijacked late last evening near the coast of Somalia and is being closely watched by the Indian Navy which has rushed a warship towards it, military officials said on Friday.

www.ndtv.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

Atleast we are not roaming around the world with a begging bowl.

Don't worry, one day Modi may bring India under sanctions due to Hindutva extremism.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

By attacking Indian ships or ships that are carrying cargo to India through international waters they are dragging India into a war, India has nothing to do with.

Red Sea and Suez canal are not Iranian or Yemeni territories. They are part of global trade routes.

If cargoes to India are attacked and international freight rates increase and cause inflation in India, India has no option but to retaliate.

I thought Iran was an important ally in the east of India. At one time Afghanistan and Russia were too. Supposedly the UAE and Saudis are also well established trading partners of Bharat.

I can understand betting on the west, but when you live in the east I would think that might impact your credibility in your own hemisphere.

 

[sweep_shot]

Red Sea and Suez canal are not Iranian or Yemeni territories. They are part of global trade routes.

If cargoes to India are attacked and international freight rates increase and cause inflation in India, India has no option but to retaliate.

LOL. Check map again.

Red Sea goes past Yemen. A portion of Red Sea's territory belongs to Yemen.

Check this: https://www.marineregions.org/eezdetails.php?mrgid=8353.

 

[cricketjoshila]

LOL. Check map again.

Red Sea goes past Yemen. A portion of Red Sea's territory belongs to Yemen.

Check this: https://www.marineregions.org/eezdetails.php?mrgid=8353.

Red Sea has international waters. Ships sailing through those waters are being attacked.

 

[cricketjoshila]

I thought Iran was an important ally in the east of India. At one time Afghanistan and Russia were too. Supposedly the UAE and Saudis are also well established trading partners of Bharat.

I can understand betting on the west, but when you live in the east I would think that might impact your credibility in your own hemisphere.

If Iran or its supported mercenaries are going to attack Indian interests, India has no option but to retaliate.

Saudis and Emiratis are no Houthi fans but Putin regularly praises Modi.

 

[SpiritOf1903]

If Iran or its supported mercenaries are going to attack Indian interests, India has no option but to retaliate.

Saudis and Emiratis are no Houthi fans but Putin regularly praises Modi.

Lol India attacking Iran. More bark than bite per usual

 

[Suleiman]

Saudis and Emiratis are no Houthi fans but Putin regularly praises Modi.

Ah yes as Indians, you need as much validation and praise from western countries.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

By attacking Indian ships or ships that are carrying cargo to India through international waters they are dragging India into a war, India has nothing to do with.

Red Sea and Suez canal are not Iranian or Yemeni territories. They are part of global trade routes.

If cargoes to India are attacked and international freight rates increase and cause inflation in India, India has no option but to retaliate.

I am no economist but lets see the two scenarios.

Scenrio 1. Take Indian ships into a highly tense situation into a situation that goes against the stance of many Indian allies in the region. Risk been seeing as pro israeli and exposed to potential exploitation of Indian groups by foreign countries to take some of proxy action against the Indian government using this as an excuse. Risk of Indian Navy officials publicly having to claim that Yemini tea is also fantastic. Risk of payback on Indian expats and interests in the region.

Scenario 2. Put pressure on the coalition that has been formed by the American and Western navys to get something done. Short term absorption of high shipping costs. Continue to play double game of supporting Israel while also championing Two state solution. Be seen as a peacemaker in the region.

Which scenario will cause risk and inflation?

The Americans are being pushed into action by the Iranian axis here and perhaps there is a Russian hand too. It makes no sense at all for India to enter the fray imo.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Will the Houthi Red Sea attacks destabilise Yemen’s fragile peace?

The recent Houthi attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea have helped the group drive domestic recruitment and mobilise large rallies in the capital, Sanaa. Analysts say the attacks have provided the group a boost after its popularity had taken a hit in recent months.

But they also warn that domestic moves by the emboldened group could threaten the fragile peace within Yemen, as talks towards a ceasefire to a decade-long-war appear to be gathering momentum.

The Houthis say their attacks in the Red Sea target Israeli-connected or allied ships and are aimed at pressuring Israel to stop its devastating war on Gaza, which has killed more than 22,000 people since October 7.

That’s a message that appears to have resonated with many Yemenis.

Ansar Allah, more popularly known as the Houthis, held a rally in Sanaa in support of Gaza on Friday, drawing millions of Yemenis, according to a Houthi-affiliated media outlet. Images from the event showed a packed al-Sabeen Square, where protesters carried Palestinian and Yemeni flags. The mobilisation took place as the Houthis continued sending missiles and drones into the Red Sea, defying threats of increased military action by the United States.

Amid the heightened tensions in the key maritime waterway, international shipping companies have decided to avoid the Red Sea and go around the southern coast of Africa, adding about nine days to their journey and increasing costs by at least 15 percent. Danish shipping giant Maersk announced on Friday that it would avoid the Red Sea for the foreseeable future.
In December the US put together Operation Prosperity Guardian, a 10-country coalition that originally included the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Seychelles and Bahrain.

Their ostensible aim? To stop the Houthis from targeting commercial ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a narrow passageway leading into the Red Sea and further on to the Suez Canal. On November 19, the Houthis took over the Galaxy Leader and turned it into a tourist attraction for Yemenis.

But the Houthis have not been deterred. They have continued targeting commercial traffic in the Red Sea. On December 31, four Houthi vessels tried commandeering a ship travelling through the Red Sea when US Navy helicopters attacked them, killing 10 Houthi fighters and sinking three boats.

On Wednesday, the US and their allies announced what they said was a final warning to the Houthis to stop attacking ships. But at Friday’s rally, the Houthis seemed defiant, as a fighter plane flew overhead, leaders praised the group’s martyrs and declared they were prepared for a military escalation from the US.

Source: Al Jazeera

Will the Houthi Red Sea attacks destabilise Yemen’s fragile peace?

The strikes have helped the Yemeni group gain recruits – and a domestic buildup of might could strain ceasefire attempts

www.aljazeera.com

 

[cricketjoshila]

Ah yes as Indians, you need as much validation and praise from western countries.

Putin and Russia are hardly "Western" in that sense.

India's continued relationship with Russia shows how India cares about its interests and not any validation.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Lol India attacking Iran. More bark than bite per usual

If Iran attacks Indian ships, India will have no option but to retaliate.

And what's Iran that India should fear them?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

If Iran attacks Indian ships, India will have no option but to retaliate.

And what's Iran that India should fear them?

Has your govt actually threatened Iran with any of these retaliatory measures or is this just some fantasy going on in your own head?

 

[cricketjoshila]

I am no economist but lets see the two scenarios.

Scenrio 1. Take Indian ships into a highly tense situation into a situation that goes against the stance of many Indian allies in the region. Risk been seeing as pro israeli and exposed to potential exploitation of Indian groups by foreign countries to take some of proxy action against the Indian government using this as an excuse. Risk of Indian Navy officials publicly having to claim that Yemini tea is also fantastic. Risk of payback on Indian expats and interests in the region.

Scenario 2. Put pressure on the coalition that has been formed by the American and Western navys to get something done. Short term absorption of high shipping costs. Continue to play double game of supporting Israel while also championing Two state solution. Be seen as a peacemaker in the region.

Which scenario will cause risk and inflation?

The Americans are being pushed into action by the Iranian axis here and perhaps there is a Russian hand too. It makes no sense at all for India to enter the fray imo.

1. Three Indian missile destroyers are already deployed in the region. All of them equipped with long range supersonic cruise missiles and advance air defence systems.

2. Which allies are in favour of Houthis and attacks on Indian ships?

3.Israel is a close military and strategic ally of India and will remain so. There is nothing to hide.

4. Groups in India will be dealt with. Nothing a Danda cannot straighten.

5. Or rain cruise missiles everytime any Indian interest is attacked. Just like how Indian officer walked out unscathed from the enemy territory and as per the member of parliament/assembly/senate, enemy army was scared of a Indian escalation.

6. Russian and Indian relationship is very old and deep. Russia has never interfered in Indian actions to protect Indian interests.

7. Expats in Iran? Syria?

 

[cricketjoshila]

Has your govt actually threatened Iran with any of these retaliatory measures or is this just some fantasy going on in your own head?

Why do you think 3 missile destroyers are in the region?

Why do you think Iran rushed to deny that they are not involved in any attacks on the Indian ships?

 

[aboveandbeyond]

Iran’s mullah regime is the reason for all M.E unrest.

1917 balfor declaration RING A BELL.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Why do you think 3 missile destroyers are in the region?

Why do you think Iran rushed to deny that they are not involved in any attacks on the Indian ships?

Because they aren't? Why would Iran want to attack Indian ships?

 

[DeadlyVenom]

1. Three Indian missile destroyers are already deployed in the region. All of them equipped with long range supersonic cruise missiles and advance air defence systems.

2. Which allies are in favour of Houthis and attacks on Indian ships?

3.Israel is a close military and strategic ally of India and will remain so. There is nothing to hide.

4. Groups in India will be dealt with. Nothing a Danda cannot straighten.

5. Or rain cruise missiles everytime any Indian interest is attacked. Just like how Indian officer walked out unscathed from the enemy territory and as per the member of parliament/assembly/senate, enemy army was scared of a Indian escalation.

6. Russian and Indian relationship is very old and deep. Russia has never interfered in Indian actions to protect Indian interests.

7. Expats in Iran? Syria?

You can deal with fantasies if it makes you happy.

Getting beaten up by villagers and made to slurp tea is 'unscathed'

Bombing grass is 'raining cruise missles"

We will see if Modi attacks Houthis. I personally hope he tries to.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Why do you think 3 missile destroyers are in the region?

Why do you think Iran rushed to deny that they are not involved in any attacks on the Indian ships?

Iran has so far denied being involved in anything in the region lol. They denied accusations made by the USA...have India accused Iran of anything ???

It's nothing to do with the 3 missile destroyers.

It's actually India that is scared of irking the Iranians....

Red Sea attacks: Keen to avoid irking Iran, India says it's not part of int'l coalition against Houthis

The Houthis started attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s offensive on the Gaza Strip following the October 7 attack by Hamas. The US has been accusing Iran of backing the Houthis who control most areas of Yemen.

www.deccanherald.com

 

[CricketCartoons]

Iran is the only Islamic country with courage. Love them or hate them, you have to respect them.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Pakistan Navy deploys warships in the Arabian Sea

The Pakistan Navy has deployed its warships in the Arabian Sea following the “recent incidents of maritime security,” a navy spokesperson said in a statement.

“Pakistan Navy has deployed its warships in the Arabian Sea following the recent incidents of maritime security,” a spokesperson of the navy said in a statement.

“Continuous aerial surveillance of these commercial passages is also being done by Pakistan Navy.”

The navy said the main purpose of the patrol is to ensure the safety of Pakistani and international merchant ships, adding that its warships always patrol the Arabian Sea to ensure its “constant presence.”

“Pakistan Navy is well aware of its national responsibility in maintaining maritime peace and order in the region,” the statement noted.

The move comes after the Iran-backed militia Houthi, controlling Yemen have been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea after the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

Source: ARY

Pakistan Navy deploys warships in the Arabian Sea

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Navy has deployed its warships in the Arabian Sea following the “recent incidents of maritime security,” a navy spokesperson said

arynews.tv

 

[cricketjoshila]

Iran has so far denied being involved in anything in the region lol. They denied accusations made by the USA...have India accused Iran of anything ???

It's nothing to do with the 3 missile destroyers.

It's actually India that is scared of irking the Iranians....

Red Sea attacks: Keen to avoid irking Iran, India says it's not part of int'l coalition against Houthis

The Houthis started attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s offensive on the Gaza Strip following the October 7 attack by Hamas. The US has been accusing Iran of backing the Houthis who control most areas of Yemen.

www.deccanherald.com

Iran has so far denied being involved in anything in the region lol. They denied accusations made by the USA...have India accused Iran of anything ???

It's nothing to do with the 3 missile destroyers.

It's actually India that is scared of irking the Iranians....

Red Sea attacks: Keen to avoid irking Iran, India says it's not part of int'l coalition against Houthis

The Houthis started attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s offensive on the Gaza Strip following the October 7 attack by Hamas. The US has been accusing Iran of backing the Houthis who control most areas of Yemen.

www.deccanherald.com

Stop reading Deccan Chronicle except for sports or local news. It was established by a congress party leader.

Iran immediately issued a denial after MV Chem Pluto was attacked.

Indian Navy had boarded and searched two Iranian vessels Artenos and Saviz post the attack on Chem Pluto. So much for trying to not irk Iran.

The reason India hasn't joined any coalition is because India doesn't join coalitions.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Yemen's Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping must be stopped without triggering a new war, the Italian defence minister said on Wednesday, as the Iranian-backed militia steps up attacks on commercial vessels.

U.S. and British forces shot down 21 drones and missiles fired by the Houthis on Tuesday towards international Red Sea shipping lanes, the U.S. military's Central Command said, adding it was the 26th such Houthi attack since Nov. 19.

"It is a huge problem, it is a consequence of other (war) outbreaks. I would not like to open a third front of war at this time," Guido Crosetto told Reuters, in a reference to current conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

The Houthis have vowed to continue the attacks until Israel halts the conflict in Gaza, and has said that it would strike U.S. warships if the militia group itself was attacked in Yemen.

The United States and other countries last month launched Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect civilian vessels in the one of the most important trade routes in the world.

Italy announced in December it would send a naval vessel to the area following requests for back-up from ship owners, but it has not signed up to the U.S.-led mission, with other EU allies also appearing to distance themselves from the initiative.

Crosetto said parliament would need to approve Italian naval involvement in Operation Prosperity Guardian, complicating any eventual adherence.

"There is a thing called Constitution, and there are laws for which a new international mission needs parliamentary approval, needs separate funding," Crosetto said.

"If we decide to do so (join Prosperity Guardian), it will be a decision that goes through a cabinet meeting, reaches parliament and is voted on by the (two) chambers."

Source: Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/red-sea-security-must-be-achieved-without-new-war-italian-minister-says-2024-01-10/?taid=659e9281b4ed2700010bd977&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

 

[shortbread]

What this will do is speed up a deal for a Israel - Middle east trade corridor bypassing the Red Sea.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

US and UK hint at military action after largest Houthi attack in Red Sea

The US and UK have hinted they could take military action against Yemen's Houthi rebels, after they repelled the largest attack yet on Red Sea shipping.

Carrier-based jets and warships shot down 21 drones and missiles launched by the Iran-backed group on Tuesday night.

The allies warned of "consequences" for such attacks. Asked about potential strikes in Yemen, UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: "Watch this space."

The Houthis said they targeted a US ship providing support to Israel.

The have repeatedly claimed - often falsely - that they are attacking merchant vessels linked to Israel in protest at Israeli actions during the war in Gaza.

Tuesday's attack was the 26th on commercial shipping in the Red Sea since 19 November.

The US military said Iranian-designed one-way attack drones, anti-ship cruise missiles and anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen at around 21:15 local time (18:15 GMT).

Eighteen drones, two cruise missiles and one ballistic missile were shot down by F/A-18 warplanes from the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower, which is deployed in the Red Sea, and by four destroyers, the USS Gravely, USS Laboon, USS Mason and HMS Diamond.

HMS Diamond shot down seven of the Houthi drones using its guns and Sea Viper missiles, each costing more than £1m ($1.3m), a defence source said.

No injuries or damage were reported.

Later, Houthi military spokesman Yahya al-Sarea confirmed its forces had carried out an operation involving "a large number of ballistic and naval missiles and drones".

"It targeted a US ship that was providing support for the Zionist entity [Israel]," he said.

"The operation came as an initial response to the treacherous assault on our naval forces by the US enemy forces," he added, referring to the sinking of three Houthi speed boats and killing of their crews by US Navy helicopters during an attempted attack on a container ship on 31 December.

He added that the rebels would "not hesitate to adequately deal with all hostile threats as part of the legitimate right to defend our country, people and nation".

Mr Sarea also reiterated that the Houthis would continue to "prevent Israeli ships or ships heading towards occupied Palestine from navigating in both the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea until the [Israeli] aggression [on Gaza] has come to an end and the blockade has been lifted".

US and UK hint at military action after largest Houthi attack in Red Sea

The allies warn of "consequences" after 21 drones and missiles were launched by the Iran-based group.

www.bbc.com

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Houthis are the master of asymmetric warfare just like Iranis.That is why it is too difficult to beat them.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1745368270272602625

 

[cricketjoshila]

The ones cheering and bigging up Houthis will be the first one to cry human rights when others start raining missiles on Houthi territory.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

The ones cheering and bigging up Houthis will be the first one to cry human rights when others start raining missiles on Houthi territory.

Killing civilians because of Houthi actions is a human rights issue.

What you are saying is like someone saying Indians cry terrorism in Mumbai while they cheer and big up their army action in Kashmir.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Killing civilians because of Houthi actions is a human rights issue.

What you are saying is like someone saying Indians cry terrorism in Mumbai while they cheer and big up their army action in Kashmir.

Houthi territory will be attacked because they are attacking others. Since Houthis have no respect for laws or rights of others, its laughable to think others will respect theirs.

Which terrorist in Mumbai was from J and K? All of them were from Pakistan.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Houthi territory will be attacked because they are attacking others. Since Houthis have no respect for laws or rights of others, its laughable to think others will respect theirs.

Which terrorist in Mumbai was from J and K? All of them were from Pakistan.

Will the Houthis be attacked directly by Indian military forces?

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Houthi territory will be attacked because they are attacking others. Since Houthis have no respect for laws or rights of others, its laughable to think others will respect theirs.

Which terrorist in Mumbai was from J and K? All of them were from Pakistan.

Houthis have so far not inured or killed any personnel. Advocating for bombing and murder of civilians because a few ships have been rerouted is not an acceptable response.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Will the Houthis be attacked directly by Indian military forces?

Perhaps so. Maybe its why Modi was pictured with scuba gear on. He may be learning to swim to protect Indian vessels.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Houthis have so far not inured or killed any personnel. Advocating for bombing and murder of civilians because a few ships have been rerouted is not an acceptable response.

The Houthis tried and failed. They have largely attacked civilian ships.

Once you start the war the other side is free to choose its response. One cannot control both sides.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

The Houthis tried and failed. They have largely attacked civilian ships.

Once you start the war the other side is free to choose its response. One cannot control both sides.

The other side must act within international law and respond appropriately and proportionately.

 

[cricketjoshila]

The other side must act within international law and respond appropriately and proportionately.

Are Houthis acting within international laws? No.

They are attacking civilian ships.

Any and all responses against them are appropriate and justified.

You should think about the consequences before you start a war.. The tactics of starting a war and when the other side responds then crying Human Rights and International Laws isn't going to work anymore.

Someone here was praising Houthis as Masters of Asymmetric warfare. Well such Masters will now receive disproportionate response.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Any and all responses against them are appropriate and justified.

Says who?

 

[DeadlyVenom]

You should think about the consequences before you start a war.. The tactics of starting a war and when the other side responds then crying Human Rights and International Laws isn't going to work anymore.

What tactics are you referring to? Who has employed these tactics before and when did they stop working?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

So much noise and sabre rattling on behalf of Bharat what will be the consequences of Houthi operations in the Red Sea and yet despite all the bombast, when asked if India will strike against the Houthis these posters run back into their mousehole.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Says who?

The ones planning military operations against the Houthis.

 

[cricketjoshila]

What tactics are you referring to? Who has employed these tactics before and when did they stop working?

A number of terrorist groups employed these tactics. They stopped working the moment the other side realised that laws and rights mean nothing to terrorists.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The ones planning military operations against the Houthis.

Who is planning military operations against the Houthis? India?

 

[DeadlyVenom]

The ones planning military operations against the Houthis.

I havent heard any of them say that nothing is off the cards, any response is justified and that houthis should not cry about human rights.

Can you provide a link for this?

 

[DeadlyVenom]

A number of terrorist groups employed these tactics. They stopped working the moment the other side realised that laws and rights mean nothing to terrorists.

Which groups?

 

[cricketjoshila]

I havent heard any of them say that nothing is off the cards, any response is justified and that houthis should not cry about human rights.

Can you provide a link for this?

Have they said that XYZ is off the table?

 

[cricketjoshila]

Which groups?

Terrorist groups.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Have they said that XYZ is off the table?

So you are filling in the blanks and passing it off as facts.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Terrorist groups.

Please be specific