Houthi rebels attack a tanker off the coast of Yemen. The U.S. therefore wants to forge a naval alliance that protects shipping traffic.
Sanaa – A U.S. Navy destroyer has responded to a distress call from a tanker in the Red Sea, which U.S. says was attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The responsible regional command of the US military said on the online platform X that Houthi forces had tried to get on board the tanker. However, the attempt failed. As a result, two missiles were fired at the tanker "Ardmore Encounter" from areas in Yemen controlled by the Houthis. Both would have missed their target.
In addition, a drone was shot down, which is said to have been launched from an area controlled by Houthi rebels in Yemen, it added. There were no injuries or damage. The Houthis have not yet commented.
Houthi rebels have been attacking more and more ships since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war
The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have repeatedly attacked Israel with drones and missiles since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war, most recently threatening to prevent ships of any nationality from passing through the Red Sea on their way to Israel. Only freighters carrying aid to the Gaza Strip would be allowed passage. All others would become "legitimate targets of our armed forces," the rebels said.
The Houthis had previously attacked ships in the Red Sea several times. Just on Tuesday, Houthi rebels attacked a tanker in the Red Sea. The Norwegian oil and chemical tanker "Strinda" was hit by a cruise missile, the responsible regional command of the US military announced early Tuesday morning. The rebels would continue to do so on "ships of all nationalities" en route to Israeli ports until they delivered food and medicine to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
+
The US destroyer has once again repelled a Houthi attack in the Red Sea.
© IMAGO/U.S. Navy
The "Strinda" was on its way to Israel. The Norwegian shipping company J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, on the other hand, said that the ship was on its way from Malaysia to Italy when it was attacked. The "Strinda" made a distress call, whereupon the destroyer "USS Mason" provided assistance.
German government concerned about Houthi attacks on ships
Meanwhile, German shipowners are calling on Germany and the EU to take protective measures against attacks by Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea. "Germany and the European Union must take the situation very seriously," said Martin Kröger, chief executive of the Association of German Shipowners (VDR), in Hamburg. It must be ensured "that civilian merchant shipping, and in particular the seafarers on our merchant ships, are not drawn into the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which the Houthis cite as the reason for the attacks."
The German government is also increasingly concerned about the attacks on international shipping. A spokesman for the German Foreign Office said in Berlin: "We assume that these attacks would not be possible without Iran's long-standing support of the Houthis." They are "completely unacceptable" and must stop.
U.S. wants naval alliance against Houthi attacks on international shipping
Meanwhile, Handelsblatt reported that the U.S. wanted to forge a naval alliance to protect shipping traffic in the Red Sea and would therefore also hold talks with the German government. The U.S. had expressed a fundamental interest in stronger maritime cooperation to the Inspector of the Navy, the newspaper reported, citing Berlin government circles. The request covers a wide range of military capabilities, ranging from sending warships to the Red Sea to the secondment of individual naval specialists.
The Bab-al-Mandeb strait, where the "Strinda" was attacked, lies between Djibouti and Yemen and connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden - and thus with the Indian Ocean. It is of great importance for global maritime trade, especially for the transport of crude oil. (erpe/dpa/AFP)
Category list image: © IMAGO/U.S. Navy