Singapore: Yemen’s Houthis have continued to carry out frequent attacks in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea. This time the Houthi rebels have allegedly targeted a Singapore-flagged ship, in which it was damaged. Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) gave this information in a statement on Friday. The MPA said that it received information that the container ship ‘Lobivia’ was attacked while passing through the Gulf of Aden, causing it to catch fire. It said that however the crew extinguished the fire.
Channel News Asia quoted officials as saying that no Singaporean citizen was included in the crew and all the personnel on the ship are safe. He said that despite the attack by the Houthi rebels, the ship managed to reach Berbera port in Somalia where damage assessment and repair work will be done if needed. The MPA said that it is in touch with the ship manager to provide any necessary assistance. The Singapore Navy has also been alerted to provide assistance to its security partners in the Gulf of Aden
Houthis admit ballistic missile attack
A military spokesman for the Houthi rebels said on television that the group attacked Lobivia with a ballistic missile and a drone. Britain’s maritime trade operations body said the ship was attacked twice with two missiles about 83 nautical miles southeast of the Yemeni port city of Aden. Channel News Asia quoted British security firm Embrey as saying, “The ship was moving northeast through the Gulf of Aden when a nearby merchant vessel saw ‘lights and explosions’ in the area where Lobivia was present.” Embrey said the ship immediately took a defensive posture and turned off its automatic identification system about an hour later.
Houthis have been continuously attacking since November 2023
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been carrying out a flurry of drone and missile attacks on ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since last November. They say these attacks are being carried out to show support for the Palestinians affected by Israel’s war in Gaza. So far, two ships have sunk and another has been seized, killing three sailors. The attacks have severely disrupted global trade through the Suez Canal.
On Tuesday, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Chios Lion was forced to turn back to assess damage and investigate a possible oil spill after an attack in the Red Sea. Britain and the US have been carrying out retaliatory strikes since February. Several drones have been shot down and sites used for attacks in Yemen have been bombed.
