from the L.A. Times—
A missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels slammed into a Norwegian-flagged tanker in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen near a key maritime chokepoint, the rebels and authorities said Tuesday.
The assault on the oil and chemical tanker Strinda expands a campaign by the Iranian-backed rebels targeting ships close to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, to apparently now include vessels with no clear ties to Israel. That potentially imperils cargo and energy shipments coming through the Suez Canal and further widens the international impact of the Israel-Hamas war now raging in the Gaza Strip.
Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree issued a video statement saying the rebels fired on the vessel only when it “rejected all warning calls.”
The U.S. military’s Central Command issued a statement Tuesday saying that an anti-ship cruise missile “launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen” hit the Strinda.
“There were no U.S. ships in the vicinity at the time of the attack, but the USS Mason responded … and is currently rendering assistance,” Central Command said. The Mason is a destroyer that has been involved in several of the recent incidents off Yemen.
France’s Armies Ministry separately said that its frigate Languedoc shot down a drone that was “threatening” the Strinda during the attack. The French frigate “then positioned itself to protect the affected vessel, preventing an attempt to hijack the ship,” the French military said.
The Strinda, an oil and chemical tanker, was actually on its way to Italy, according to ship-tracking data. The vessel is part of the fleet of Bergen-based shipping firm Mowinckels Rederi, according to its website. The company’s chief executive Geir Belsnes confirmed the ship had been “hit by a missile” and caught fire.
“Fortunately, there were no injuries to any member of the crew, who managed to extinguish the fire,” Belsnes told Al Jazeera in an e-mail. “Our focus has been, and remains, the safety and well-being of the seafarers onboard.” He added that the ship was now “proceeding to a safe port”.
Last month an Israeli-linked cargo ship, the Galaxy Leader was hijacked by the Houthi rebels on behalf of the lunatics who run Iran. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeidah. Separately, a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire came under attack by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean. — story
It seems likely that many ships will choose to avoid the Suez Canal — Red Sea route by going around South Africa as happened before the Suez Canal was built. Extra journey times and higher fuel costs will offset the very high insurance costs in the Red Sea/Horn of Africa. It’s not good news for Egypt either which relies heavily on Suez Canal fees.