The war between Hamas and IsraelDossierTensions in the region are still rising following the attacks on three ships on Saturday, December 23, by Yemeni rebels and Iran. The US Navy responded.
Enough to reach the milestone of 15 attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea in just over two months. Two oil tankers were attacked by drones fired by Houthi rebels from Yemen on Saturday, December 23, amid the backdrop of the Hamas-Israel conflict.
The first Indian-flagged tanker made a distress call after being hit by gunfire, US Central Command (Centcom) said. There were no injuries. The second, flying the Norwegian flag, was also attacked by a Houthi drone, which narrowly missed it, Centcom added.
Earlier this morning, the chemical tanker MV Chem Pluto was hit by an “attack drone fired from Iran” in the Indian Ocean, causing a fire on board that has since been extinguished with no injuries, the US Department of Defense said. According to maritime security firm Ambrey, the Indian Navy claimed to have dispatched an aircraft and a warship to assist the chemical tanker, which is “linked to Israel.” Responsibility for this strike could not immediately be determined.
Also on Saturday, a U.S. destroyer patrolling the area, the USS Laboon, shot down four other Houthi attack drones that were targeting it, according to Centcom.
Sea routes diverted
These attacks on merchant ships since the start of the war between Hamas and Israel have prompted major shipping companies to reroute their ships to the southern tip of Africa for much longer voyages, despite higher fuel costs.
The Houthis, who are “part of the axis of resistance” against Israel, reiterate that they will continue their attacks as long as food and medicine do not return in sufficient quantities to the Israeli-besieged and bombed Gaza Strip.
The White House accused Iran of being “heavily involved in the planning” of these Houthi attacks, providing them with “sophisticated military equipment” and “intelligence support” without which the Yemeni rebels “would have difficulty getting the boats.” to discover and meet”.
Iran admits its political support for the Houthis, who have been at war against the Yemeni government recognized by the international community since 2014. However, Tehran denies providing military equipment to the rebels.
Threat to the Mediterranean
In response, the United States announced on Monday, December 18, the formation of a coalition of ten countries, including France. “The recent escalation of reckless Houthi attacks from Yemen threatens the free flow of trade, endangers the lives of innocent sailors, and violates international law,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, announcing “the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian.” This Saturday, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official, Mohammad Reza Naqdi, threatened to “close other waterways” if the war continued.
“You should expect the sea to close soon Mediterranean, Gibraltar and other waterways against them,” he warned. The Red Sea is a “highway” that connects the Mediterranean with the Indian Ocean and thus Europe with Asia. Around 20,000 ships pass through the Suez Canal every year, accounting for around 40% of world trade.