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

[Cricket Warrior]

UN says Houthis have returned its rights office in Yemen

Yemen's Houthi rebels have returned the United Nations Human Rights Office in Sanaa, which they had seized earlier this month, a UN spokesman said on Monday. (Aug 20)

On Aug 3, the Iran-backed group sent a delegation to the UN Human Rights Office's premises and forced staff to hand over the keys.

"The office was handed back today to our resident coordinator in Yemen," said Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman for the secretary-general.

According to the coordinator, "the office appears to be in its original state, but an inventory is currently underway", Dujarric said.

UN rights chief Volker Turk, who announced the seizing of the office last week, called it "a serious attack on the ability of the UN to perform its mandate".

The UN on Monday called again for the release of 13 of its staff and dozens of NGO and embassy employees who have been held by the Houthis for more than two months.

UN says Houthis have returned its rights office in Yemen

UNITED STATES: Yemen's Houthi rebels have returned the United Nations Human Rights Office in Sanaa, which they had seized earlier this month, a UN spokesman said on Monday. (Aug 20)

www.channelnewsasia.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Tanker adrift after multiple attacks in Red Sea, UK maritime agency says

A Greek-flagged oil tanker was adrift in the Red Sea on Wednesday after repeated attacks that started a fire on the vessel and caused the ship to lose power, the UK maritime agency said.

The Sounion was first attacked by two small boats and hit by multiple projectiles about 77 nautical miles (142 km) west of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah on Wednesday morning, the Greek shipping ministry and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

There was a brief exchange of small arms fire during the incident, the UKMTO said, adding in a later update that the ship had reported another attack. That caused the fire and led the vessel to lose engine power and its ability to manoeuvre.

There were no reports of injuries among the 25 crew members - two Russians and the rest Filipinos - and a maritime source told Reuters the vessel was expected to be able to sail "relying on its own means".

Delta Tankers, the ship's operator, confirmed the ship was adrift and had sustained minor damage. The crew were assessing the situation and it would proceed on its journey, it said in a statement.

Later on Wednesday, another vessel reported two explosions in the water nearby some 57 nautical miles (105 km) south of Aden, UKMTO and Ambrey said.

Ambrey added that the first impact to the water was 48 nautical miles south southeast of Aden, and the second occurred after the vessel had sailed 23 nautical miles further west.

UKMTO said in an updated advisory note that the vessel's captain reported a third explosion close to it but that there was no damage and the crew were safe, adding that the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.

Iran-aligned Houthi militants have launched a series of attacks on international shipping near Yemen since last November in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas.


Reuters

 

[FearlessRoar]

Oil tanker Sounion ‘poses environmental risk’ after Red Sea attack​

A Greek-flagged oil tanker carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude that was evacuated by its crew after being attacked in the Red Sea now poses an environmental hazard, the EU’s Red Sea naval mission “Aspides” said on Thursday.

Sounion was targeted on Wednesday by multiple projectiles off Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah, where the Iran-aligned Houthis have been attacking ships in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

“Carrying 150,000 tonnes of crude oil, the MV SOUNION now represents a navigational and environmental hazard,” Aspides said in a post on social media platform X.

The Houthis, who control Yemen’s most populous regions, have yet to claim responsibility for the attack.

The Sounion was the third vessel operated by Athens-based Delta Tankers to be attacked in the Red Sea this month. The attack caused a fire onboard, which was extinguished by the crew, Delta Tankers said in a statement.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported on Wednesday that the attack led to the loss of engine power. The vessel was now anchored between Yemen and Eritrea, a maritime security source told Reuters on Thursday.

Delta Tankers said it is working on a plan to move Sounion to a safer destination for further checks and repairs.

The EU Red Sea naval mission said it responded to a request from the captain of the Sounion and dispatched a ship to rescue the crew to Djibouti, the Aspides said.

“While approaching the area, the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES ship destroyed an Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) that posed an imminent threat to the ship and the crew,” Aspides added.

The Greek shipping ministry said the vessel was sailing from Iraq to Agioi Theodoroi in Greece with a crew of two Russians and 23 Filipinos.

In dozens of attacks in the Red Sea since November, the Houthis have sunk two vessels and seized another, killed at least three sailors and upended global trade by forcing ship owners to avoid the popular Suez Canal trade shortcut.

In another incident on Thursday, a vessel reported an explosion close to it that caused minor damage after an encounter with an uncrewed vessel 57 nautical miles south of Yemen’s port of Aden, the UKMTO said. The vessel and its crew were safe and it was proceeding to its next port of call.

Greek Shipping Minister Christos Stylianidis condemned on Wednesday the attack on the Sounion, saying it was “a flagrant violation of international law and a serious threat to the safety of international shipping.”

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/gulf/2024/08/22/crew-of-greek-flagged-sounion-attacked-in-red-sea-abandons-vessel-official

 

[Cricket Warrior]

US warns of ‘ecological disaster’ after Houthi attack on oil tanker

The United States is warning of a potential ecological disaster in the Red Sea following an attack by Yemen-based Houthi rebels on an oil tanker last week.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said late Sunday the U.N. Security Council “must condemn” the Houthi attack on the MT Delta Sounion

“The Houthis’ brazen actions threaten to create an ecological disaster with devastating consequences for the region,” Thomas-Greenfield said on X.

She said the U.N. Security Council should demand immediate compliance with a January resolution calling on the Houthis to immediately stop attacking ships in the Red Sea.

The Iran-backed Houthis said Thursday they targeted the Greek-flagged tanker as part of their campaign against commercial shipping in the region in solidarity with the Palestinians amid the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

Rescuers evacuated the tanker’s crew following the attack, which left the ship in flames.

The European Union’s Red Sea naval mission Aspides said the tanker was carrying 150,000 metric tons of crude oil.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Saturday that the Houthis “have made clear they are willing to destroy the fishing industry and regional ecosystems that Yemenis and other communities in the region rely on for their livelihoods, just as they have undermined the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to the region through their reckless attacks.”

The Houthi campaign has disrupted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, prompting many shipping companies to reroute ships to longer and more expensive routes.

US warns of ‘ecological disaster’ after Houthi attack on oil tanker

The Iran-backed Houthis said Thursday they targeted the Greek-flagged tanker as part of their campaign against commercial shipping in the region

www.voanews.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Red Sea insurance nearly doubles after attacked oil tanker appears to leak oil

The cost of insurance for ships sailing through the Red Sea has nearly doubled after Yemen's Houthis attacked a tanker that appears to be leaking oil, with environmental fears growing for trade route, industry sources said on Wednesday.

Iran-aligned Houthi militants first launched aerial drone and missile strikes on the waterway in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. In over 70 attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.

In the latest escalation, the Greek-flagged Sounion tanker was attacked last week by multiple projectiles and appears to be leaking oil, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

A third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them, the Pentagon added.

Insurance industry sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Wednesday additional war risk premiums, paid when vessels sail through the Red Sea, were quoted up to 0.75% of the vessel from 0.4% before the attack, although they were higher at 1% in February according to industry assessements of levels of risk.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/red-sea-insurance-nearly-doubles-after-attacked-oil-tanker-appears-leak-oil-2024-08-28/

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Houthis agree to temporary truce for rescue efforts on burning tanker in Red Sea​

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group has agreed to a temporary truce to allow tugboats and rescue ships to reach the damaged Greek-flagged crude oil tanker Sounion in the Red Sea, Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York said on Wednesday.

"Several countries have reached out to ask Ansarullah (the Houthis), requesting a temporary truce for the entry of tugboats and rescue ships into the incident area," Iran's UN mission said. "In consideration of humanitarian and environmental concerns, Ansarullah has consented to this request."

The Sounion was targeted last week by multiple projectiles off Yemen's port city of Hodeidah. It was still on fire in the Red Sea and now appears to be leaking oil, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday.

Houthi fighters, who control Yemen's most populous regions, said they attacked it. The group has been attacking ships in solidarity with Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas fighters in Gaza.

Yemen's Houthis spokesperson Mohammed Abdulsalam told Reuters on Wednesday there is no temporary truce and the group only agreed on allowing the towing of oil tanker Sounion after several international parties contacted the group.

Pentagon spokesman Air Force Major General Patrick Ryder said on Tuesday that a third party had tried to send two tugs to help salvage the Sounion, but the Houthis threatened to attack them.

Iran's UN mission responded on Wednesday: "The failure to provide aid and prevent an oil spill in the Red Sea stems from the negligence of certain countries, rather than concerns over the possibility of being targeted."

Source: Reuters

 

[BouncerGuy]

Operation under way to prevent oil spill after Houthi tanker attack

Efforts are under way to prevent a tanker targeted by Houthi rebels from spilling around one million barrels of oil into the Red Sea.

The Greek-owned and flagged MV Sounion was abandoned by its crew off the coast of Oman after being struck on 21 August by the Yemeni rebel group.

Private companies under the protection of European Union military forces will attempt to salvage the vessel, which has the potential to trigger one of the largest ever oil leaks from a tanker and was still on fire as of Monday.

The Houthis have targeted several ships in the Red Sea over the last 10 months, a campaign which the Iran-backed group says is in support of Hamas in Gaza.

US military central command said late on Tuesday that the stricken tanker “threatens the possibility of a major environmental disaster”, and accused the Houthis of “reckless acts of terrorism”.

It said a salvage operation was "under way", although it is not clear if salvage vessels have yet reached the Sounion.

On Monday, the EU’s military operation in the region said several fires were continuing to burn on the tanker’s main deck, though there were no visible signs that an oil spill was already occurring.

The tanker was later attacked again, with footage released by the group showing Houthi militants boarding the ship and lighting fires on its deck.

The leader of the Houthis called the attack “brave and bold” in a recent address.

The US State Department has previously warned a spill from the Sounion could be almost four times as large as the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989. That incident saw 2,100km (1,300 miles) of coastline contaminated after a tanker ran aground off Alaska.

The Houthis have continued to target crude oil tankers in the Red Sea in recent days.

On Monday, US military command said two vessels carrying oil were hit with ballistic missiles and a drone, including the Saudi-owned and flagged MV Amjad, which is said to be carrying around two million barrels of oil.

A US-led military operation has carried out strikes in Yemen, where the Houthis control much of the country, in an attempt to disrupt its ability to strike vessels passing through one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

BBC

 

[Cricket Warrior]

US destroys Houthi missile system in Yemen

The US Central Command said on Wednesday that its forces had destroyed a missile system in a Houthi-held Yemeni territory that was targeting ships in international waters.

This is the second time in the past 24 hours that the US military has said that it is targeting Houthi missile systems in undefined locations in Houthi-controlled Yemeni territory.

“It was determined this system presented an imminent threat to US and coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region,” CENTCOM said.

Local media and people reported hearing loud explosions and seeing heavy smoke pouring from a Houthi military facility in the province of Ibb on Tuesday, apparently struck by the US, as CENTCOM announced the destruction of two Houthi missile systems on the ground in Yemen.

Since January, the US and the UK have launched dozens of strikes on Houthi targets in Sanaa, Hodeidah, Saada, Ibb and other Yemeni provinces held by the Houthis, reportedly striking drone and missile launchers and storage facilities, as well as remotely controlled and explosives-laden boats preparing to target ships in international shipping lanes off Yemen.

Houthi leader Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi on Tuesday night denied that their troops had targeted the Saudi oil ship Amjad in the Red Sea on Monday and accused the US military of “spreading false information.”

This came as Saudi shipping company Bahri said that its vessel, Amjad, was in the Red Sea when another oil tanker was targeted, and that it was not the target.

Since November, the Houthis have destroyed two commercial ships, including one carrying more than 21,000 tons of fertilizer, seized another, and fired hundreds of ballistic missiles, drones, and drone boats at more than 100 ships in Yemen’s commercial channels.

The Yemeni militia claims that they exclusively target ships with links to Israel to put pressure on Israel to halt its war in the Gaza Strip.

Similarly, Yemen’s government has asked that the Houthis be designated as a terrorist group and their leaders’ assets frozen for attacking ships and endangering the environment off Yemen’s coast.

In a post on X, Yemeni Information Minister Muammar Al-Eryani said the Houthi attack on the MV Blue Lagoon I oil tanker is the 10th attack on oil and chemical tankers since the start of their campaign, and that the attack on the tanker is a “systematic terrorism” that risks an environmental, economic, and humanitarian disaster that would primarily affect Yemenis.

“The Houthi militia’s repeated targeting of oil and chemical product tankers demonstrates its disregard for the catastrophic consequences of any oil spill in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden on our country’s economic, agricultural, and fisheries sectors,” the Yemeni minister said.


Arab News

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim they shot down another US MQ-9 drone

United Arab Emirates (AP) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed early Sunday they shot down another American-made MQ-9 drone flying over the country, marking potentially the latest downing of the multimillion-dollar surveillance aircraft. The U.S. launched airstrikes over Houthi-controlled territory afterward, the rebels said.

The U.S. military told The Associated Press it was aware of the claim but has “received no reports” of American military drones being downed over Yemen.

The rebels offered no pictures or video to support the claim as they have in the past, though such material can appear in propaganda footage days later.

However, the Houthis have repeatedly downed General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper drones in the years since they seized Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, in 2014. Those attacks have exponentially increased since the start of the Israel-Hamas war and the Houthis launched their campaign targeting shipping in the Red Sea corridor.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree made the claim in a prerecorded video message. He said the Houthis shot down the drone over Yemen’s Marib province, a long-contested area home to key oil and gas fields that’s been held by allies of a Saudi-led coalition battling the rebels since 2015.

Yemen's Houthi rebels claim they shot down another US MQ-9 drone

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have claimed they shot down another American-made MQ-9 drone flying over the country, marking potentially the latest downing of the multimillion-dollar surveillance aircraft.

apnews.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

Ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis hits Israel sparking fire​

A long-range ballistic missile fired from Yemen has hit central Israel, sparking fire, according to the Israeli military.

The missile triggered air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and across central Israel, including the Ben Gurion international airport, sending residents running for shelter. There were no reports of casualties or damage, and the airport authority said normal operations resumed shortly after.

They also showed images of a fragment that landed on an escalator in a train station in the central town of Modiin.

“Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in central Israel, a surface-to-surface missile was identified crossing into central Israel from the east and fell in an open area. No injuries were reported,” the military said.

Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency services, said in a post on X that nine people had suffered minor injuries as they sought shelter.

Loud booms were also heard in the region, which the military said came from Israeli missile interceptors.

It added that its protective guidelines for Israel’s residents were unchanged.

Houthis’ Saba news agency said the Israeli defence system could not shoot down the Yemeni missile, which caused a fire.

“A Yemeni missile reached Israel after ’20 missiles failed to intercept’ it,” Nasruddin Amer, a Houthi media official, posted on X.

The group’s military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, announced that it had “targeted a military position of the Israeli enemy in the Jaffa area” with a “new hypersonic ballistic missile” that had managed to evade Israel’s air defence systems.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting on Sunday that the Houthis “should have known by now that we charge a heavy price for any attempt to harm us,” according to a statement from his office.

Ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthis hits Israel sparking fire

Houthis claim its new hypersonic missile managed to evade Israel’s air defence systems as Gaza war enters 12th month.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

Israel vows 'heavy price' for Houthi missile strike​

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Yemen's Houthis will pay a "heavy price" after a missile fired by the group landed in central Israel.

The Israeli military said the missile landed in an uninhabited area early on Sunday, but that shrapnel indicated air defence systems had failed to destroy it before it entered Israeli airspace.

It added that it was investigating how the missile was able to reach so far into Israeli territory.

The strike marks the first time a missile fired by the group has reached central Israel, which is around 2,000km (1,240 miles) from Yemen.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said there had been repeated attempts to shoot the missile down on Sunday but that it most likely fragmented in mid-air.

The Houthis claimed the operation used a new type of hypersonic missile, which may help explain the failure of efforts to intercept it.

They are an armed group that seized much of Yemen in the country’s ongoing civil war and have declared themselves part of the Iran-led "axis of resistance" against Israel, the US, and the wider West.

The Houthis said in a statement that Sunday's attack was carried out in solidarity with the Palestinians and that Israel should expect more ahead of the first anniversary of the 7 October attacks.

Missile fragments landed at a railway station in the city of Modiin, causing some damage, and in open ground near Israel's main international airport on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

The damage is believed to have been caused by Israel's own interceptor missiles.

Netanyahu said the strike showed that Israel was in a "multi-front battle against Iran's axis of evil that strives to destroy us".

"[The Houthis] should have known by now that we exact a heavy price for any attempt to harm us," he said.

"Anyone who attacks us will not escape from our arms.

"Hamas is already learning this in our determined action that will lead to its destruction and the release of all of our hostages."

More than 41,206 people have been killed in Gaza since the campaign began, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
This is not the first time the Houthis have attacked Israel.

In July, one man was killed and eight people were injured after a Houthi drone landed in Tel Aviv.

Previously, almost all Houthi missiles and drones fired towards Israel had been intercepted and none were known to have reached Tel Aviv.

In response, Israeli jets attacked the city of Hodeidah in Yemen, causing a huge fire which engulfed one of the country’s most important oil storage facilities.

Israel vows 'heavy price' for Houthi missile strike

It is the first time a missile fired by the armed Yemeni group has reached central Israel.

www.bbc.com