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Danish shipping company Maersk said Thursday that one of its ships was attacked by a missile near the entrance to the Red Sea, calling recent attacks on ships in the region “extremely worrying.”
The incident with the Maersk Gibraltar occurred near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, according to Portal, just days after a Norwegian tanker was attacked by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in the same area.
Maersk told the news agency that the container ship was en route from Salalah, Oman, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at the time of the attack and the crew and ship had reported themselves safe.
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“The recent attacks on merchant vessels in the Bad al-Mandab Strait are extremely worrying. The current situation endangers the lives of seafarers and is unsustainable for global trade,” the company said in a statement.
Iran says a U.S.-backed Red Sea security task force would create “extraordinary problems.”
Containers were spotted on the Maersk Gibraltar in the port of Algeciras, Spain, on January 19. (Portal/Jon Nazca)
“As it cannot be solved by the global shipping industry alone, we call for political action to ensure rapid de-escalation,” it added.
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Iran warned today that a planned US-backed task force to protect ships from attacks in the Red Sea would cause “extraordinary problems” in the region.
Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani's comments – published by the Iranian Student News Agency, according to Portal – come after a US defense official said the Navy destroyer USS Mason shot down a Houthi drone traveling from Yemen on Wednesday.
US destroyer shoots down another Houthi drone in the Red Sea
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In August 2018, fishing boats are spotted along the Yemeni side of the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, which separates the Arabian Peninsula from East Africa. (Karim Sahib/AFP via Getty Images)
“If they take such an irrational step, they will face extraordinary problems,” Ashtiani was quoted as saying. “No one can move in a region where we have dominance.”
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said earlier this week that “the actions we have seen from these Houthi forces are disturbing.” [and] Surge” after a missile attack on a Norwegian tanker in the Red Sea on Monday.
Iranian Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani on June 12, 2023 in Caracas. He is said to have opposed the idea of a US-backed task force to protect ships sailing through the Red Sea. (Portal/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
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“They are dangerous and clearly represent a blatant violation of international law. So it is an international problem that requires an international solution. “We continue to consult closely with our international allies and partners on the establishment of a maritime task force,” Ryder said during a press conference.