Houthis launch anti-ship missile at Russian oil tanker in the Red Sea
The Houthis hit the M/T Wind tanker transporting Russian oil in the Red Sea with an anti-ship missile.
The news was made public by the press service of the US Central Command.
At approximately 01:00 local time, on April 18, Iranian-backed Houthi forces launched an anti-ship ballistic missile and successfully hit the Panamanian-flagged M/T Wind, a Greek-owned vessel.
The missile struck the stern of the tanker, causing partial flooding, stopping the ship and temporary loss of steering. There were no casualties as a result of the incident.
British security firm Ambrey said the attack took place about 10 nautical miles southwest of the port city of Mokha, Yemen. The missile caused a fire in the steering compartment.
One of the ships of the US-led coalition on duty in the region immediately responded to the ship’s distress call in the Red Sea. After a while, the crew was able to resume movement and leave the danger zone on their own.
Houthis attack M/T Wind in the Red Sea
At around 1am (Sanaa time) on 18 May, the Iranian-backed Houthis fired an anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) into the Red Sea, hitting the M/T Wind, a Panamanian-flagged, Greek-owned and operated oil tanker.
M/T Wind most recently docked… pic.twitter.com/kDjH7TXKkm
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) May 18, 2024
Russian oil
According to Reuters, the Panama-flagged vessel was in the Black Sea before the incident. Upon arrival in Novorossiysk, it was loaded with Russian oil at the Sheskharis terminal.
After loading, M/T Wind headed across the Red Sea to deliver Russian raw materials to China, but was ambushed by the Houthis.
As noted in the publication, sabotage and attacks by Houthis on transit routes in the Red Sea have led to disruptions in global shipping. This has forced transportation companies to revert to longer and more expensive routes around South Africa.
The complication of logistics and its rise in price will obviously force up global oil prices and, consequently, fuel prices.
