Indian oil tanker hit by drone
In the Red Sea, a Gabon-owned crude oil tanker, MV Saibaba, flying the Indian flag, reported being hit by a Houthi attack drone, according to the US military. The strike resulted in no injuries. Another incident involved the Norwegian-flagged M/V Blaamanen, a chemical/oil tanker, reporting a near miss from a Houthi attack drone with no injuries or damage. Both events mark the 14th and 15th attacks by Houthi militants on commercial shipping since October 17. This comes after a Japanese-owned chemical tanker was targeted off the coast of India by a drone “fired from Iran,” as per the Pentagon, although Tehran denies the allegations. The attacks contribute to the rerouting of global trade away from the vital Red Sea shipping lane.
Amid a surge in drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the incidents are linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict since October 7, with the rebels claiming solidarity with Gaza. In a separate incident last month, an Israeli-owned cargo ship faced a suspected drone attack by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Indian Ocean. The attacks on commercial ships are impacting global trade routes, prompting major shipping companies and oil giant BP to reroute vessels, bypassing the Red Sea for longer journeys.
