Houthi attacks oil tanker in Red Sea

Houthi forces announced that they launched a missile that hit the Pollux oil tanker in the Red Sea, the attack caused "light damage" to the vessel.

A US State Department spokesman said on February 16 that the port side of the Panama-flagged oil tanker Pollux was hit by a missile fired from Yemen while it was carrying crude oil to India, but the vessel continued its journey after the attack.

A day later, Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea confirmed that they carried out the attack. "The Yemeni maritime forces launched a large number of missiles at the Pollux oil tanker in the Red Sea, a direct and precise attack," Sarea said.

According to UK-based maritime security firm Ambrey, the Pollux was attacked about 133 km northwest of the port of Mokha, Yemen. "The ship suffered minor damage and the crew is safe," Ambrey said.

Oil tanker Pollux. Photo: Marine Traffic

Data from UK-based financial firm LSEG shows the Pollux is owned by Indian shipping company Oceanfront Maritime and managed by Greek company Sea Trade Marine.

The ship left the Russian port of Novorossiysk on January 24 and was scheduled to unload at Paradip, India on February 28. Indian Oil Corporation has a 300,000 barrel-per-day refinery at Paradip.

The Houthis attacked the Pollux after the US decision to put the group on the "terrorist organization list" took effect on February 16. This is part of the US's efforts to prevent the Houthis from attacking cargo ships passing through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.

The Houthis, who control the capital Sanaa and much of Yemen, have repeatedly used missiles and drones to attack cargo ships since mid-November, saying they were in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is conducting a military campaign against Hamas.

On February 16, the US military raided a Houthi position where three cruise missiles were deployed to attack cargo ships in the Red Sea. A day earlier, the US announced the confiscation of more than 200 packages containing missile parts and advanced weapons suspected to have been sent by Iran to the Houthi forces.

Location Yemen, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden. Graphic: AFP

Thanh Tam (According to Reuters, AFP )

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/houthi-tap-kich-tau-dau-tren-bien-do-4712406.html