A Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, the Marlin Luanda, was hit by a missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels, sparking a fire that raged for hours onboard the vessel. The attack further complicated the Red Sea crisis, which has been intensified by the Houthi rebels' attacks on Israel's conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The tanker, carrying flammable oil known as naphtha, drew attention not only to the escalating violence but also to the involvement of various international players in this conflict.
The United States military's Central Command reported that it conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile aimed at the Red Sea. This action was taken after the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, had to shoot down a Houthi missile targeting it. The Marlin Luanda, with its crew of 25 Indian nationals and two Sri Lankans, continued to battle the blaze caused by the missile strike, but fortunately, no one was injured. Singapore-based trading firm Trafigura confirmed that the fire has been fully extinguished, and the vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbor.
The Indian navy deployed its guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam to assist the crew of the Marlin Luanda in fighting the fire. Images posted by the navy showed the blaze still raging on Saturday, possibly fueled by the flammable oil onboard. The ship, managed by a British firm, was transporting Russian naphtha to Singapore, which had been purchased at prices below the caps set by G7 sanctions imposed on Russia due to its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The environmental impact resulting from the attack has yet to be fully assessed.
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree took responsibility for the attack on the Marlin Luanda, referring to it as a 'British oil ship.' He also declared that such attacks would continue. The Houthi rebels have been targeting ships in the Red Sea since November, primarily in response to Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of these vessels have had tenuous or no clear links to Israel, putting shipping in a crucial trade route between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe at risk.
The rebels have now expanded their targeting to include American and British ships. Recently, two American-flagged ships carrying cargo for the U.S. Defense and State departments came under attack by the Houthis, leading a U.S. Navy warship to intercept and shoot down some of the projectiles. China, heavily reliant on maritime trade through the area, has called for calm. The U.S. had hoped to encourage China to pressure Iran, as Beijing remains a major buyer of Western-sanctioned Iranian oil. However, Russia has condemned the U.S. and the United Kingdom for their strikes against the Houthis, while also engaging with the rebel group in Moscow.
The Houthi attacks on maritime vessels have become the most significant since the Tanker War of the 1980s, according to the U.S. Navy's top Middle East commander. This previous conflict included a one-day naval battle between the United States and Tehran, which tragically resulted in the accidental shooting down of an Iranian passenger jet in 1988, claiming the lives of 290 individuals.
In a separate incident, authorities reported a sighting of individuals armed with assault rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade near a vessel in the Arabian Sea. The vessel's onboard security team fired warning shots, leading to an exchange of gunfire before the small boat retreated. While everyone onboard remains safe, this incident highlights the increase in suspected Somali pirate activity, coinciding with the escalating Houthi attacks.
The ongoing conflicts in the Red Sea region, fueled by the Houthi rebels' actions, have raised concerns about the safety of maritime trade and the involvement of various nations. Efforts to mitigate tensions and safeguard shipping routes are necessary to prevent further escalation and protect the interests of global trade.
