MV Andromeda Star, the vessel which sustained a “minor damage”, however, is continuing its voyage.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi fighters fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles at two vessels in the Red Sea, which resulted in ‘minor damage’ to the UK-owned vessel.
MV Andromeda Star, the vessel which sustained damage, however, is continuing its voyage.
“At 5:49 p.m. (Sanna time) on April 26, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Red Sea in the vicinity of MV MAISHA, an Antiqua/Barbados flagged, Liberia operated vessel and MV Andromeda Star, a UK owned and Panamanian flagged, Seychelles operated vessel. MV Andromeda Star reports minor damage, but is continuing its voyage,” the CENTCOM said in a post on X.
“There are no injuries or other damage reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships at this time,” it added.
CENTCOM, which is responsible for the US forces operating in the Middle East, said there were no reports of casualties from the Friday evening missile attacks on the MV Maisha, a ship sailing under the flag of Antiqua/Barbados, as per Al Jazeera.
April 26 CENTCOM Red Sea Update
At 5:49 p.m. (Sanna time) on April 26, Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Red Sea in the vicinity of MV MAISHA, an Antiqua/Barbados flagged, Liberia… pic.twitter.com/eCwPHkL9XP
In the Red Sea, US Marines are spearheading operations to defend shipping boats against Houthi strikes, which are purportedly directed at ships that use Israeli ports or have ties to Israel.
The Houthi attacks on commercial vessels on Red Sea trade routes started in mid-November, with the group linking the disruptions to its demand for an end to Israel’s offensive in Gaza and the delivery of aid to Palestinians ‘under siege’.
The Houthi rebels, who are an Iran-aligned group, have said that they will not stop attacking until Israel ends the hostilities in Gaza.
The US and UK had launched air and surface strikes, which also included fighter jets, against Houthi sites in Yemen. (ANI)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz(https://twitter.com/MunSecConf)
The attacks on the vital trade route have been met with retaliatory strikes by US and British forces since January…reports Asian Lite News
Germany said on Saturday it will send a new frigate to the Red Sea in August to help secure maritime traffic, which has been disrupted for months due to Houthi attacks.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the “Hamburg” will replace the “Hessen,” which left the zone on Saturday. The “Hessen” had been deployed in the area on Feb. 23 as part of the EU’s “Aspides” mission to protect ships.
The statement said the “Hamburg” had escorted 27 merchant ships in the intervention zone and had, on four occasions, repulsed drone and missile attacks by the Houthis. It had around 240 military personnel on board.
The Houthis said on Thursday they had attacked almost 100 vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in months of strikes. They began attacking ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea in November, a campaign they say is intended as a show of support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The attacks on the vital trade route have been met with retaliatory strikes by US and British forces since January.
The US set up a multinational task force late last year to “protect” Red Sea shipping. Recent Houthi attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden have also affected the global maritime transport chain.
Merchant ships and seafarers are increasingly in peril at sea as attacks escalate in the Middle East, the industry said in a letter released on Friday. It said the UN must do more to protect supply chains.
In a letter sent to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the world’s leading shipping industry associations said Iran’s seizure on April 13 of the MSC Aries container ship 50 nautical miles off the UAE coast “once again highlighted the intolerable situation where shipping has become a target.” “Innocent seafarers have been killed. Seafarers are being held hostage,” the letter said. “The world would be outraged if four airliners were seized and held hostage with innocent souls onboard. Regrettably, there does not seem to be the same response or concern (for ships and their crew members).”
India’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that an Indian woman who was a mariner on the MSC Aries had returned to the country. It added that it was in touch with the other 16 Indian crew members still being held aboard the vessel.
The industry letter said: “Seafarers and the maritime sector are neutral and must not be politicized.” The letter added: “Given the continually evolving and severe threat profile within the area, we call on you for enhanced coordinated military presence, missions, and patrols in the region to protect our seafarers against any further possible aggression.”
Iran has also seized other vessels in international waters in recent years, heightening risks for merchant shipping in the area.
Ministers urge EU to ‘deepen’ ties to tackle migration roots
Ministers from five Mediterranean nations have urged the EU to “deepen” bilateral agreements with migrant countries of origin and increase funding to tackle the root causes of migration.
During the Gran Canaria Island meeting, ministers of interior and migration from the MED5 nations — Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Spain — discussed the new migration and asylum pact adopted by the EU Parliament on April 11.
Years in the making, the deal involves a sweeping reform of the bloc’s asylum policies that will harden border procedures while forcing all 27 nations to share responsibility for migrant arrivals.
The reform was spurred by the massive influx of migrants in 2015, with its provisions taking effect in 2026. Hailing the pact as “historic,” Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said there was “still a long way to go” and that the solution lay in “prevention” and addressing the root causes of migration “at its source.”
“The key to migration management lies in bilateral cooperation,” he told a news conference, urging the European Commission “to deepen and broaden partnerships and agreements with third countries” to stem flows of irregular migrants.
“But we believe there is room for improvement, and the commitment should also focus on increasing European funds and flexible financing tools destined for such cooperation,” he said.
Under current EU rules, the arrival country bears responsibility for hosting and vetting asylum-seekers and returning those deemed inadmissible, which has put southern frontline states under huge pressure, fueling far-right opposition.
The new EU pact, which includes building border centers to hold asylum-seekers and sending some to outside “safe” countries, has been denounced by migrant charities and NGOs, with Amnesty International warning it would “lead to greater human suffering.”
In February, the UK Home Office has said that a record 290 people arrived in small boats in a single day, thus taking the migrant Channel crossings in the country to more than 2000 so far this year.
This is the highest single-day number recorded on February 25 after 358 people were recorded on January 17, The Evening Standard reported on Tuesday.
According to the figures published Monday, the migrants crossed in five boats with an estimated 58 people per boat.
Beginning this year, a union of Border Force officials in the UK warned that the number of people arriving in small boats is expected to rise again this year.
Last year, 29,437 migrants made the crossing, compared to 45,774 in 2022, according to figures from the UK Home Office, but the number was the second-highest since 2018 — about 1,000 above the total in 2021.
Migrants coming in small boats has been a major political issue in the UK with more than 45,000 migrants crossing the English Channel in that manner to reach the UK in 2022.
Ever since then, “stopping the boats” has been one of the top priorities of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government with the leader admitting that it is “not easy” to fix the problem overnight.
The government has also tried to send migrants to Rwanda following an agreement with the African country.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said last week that the country’s moves to facilitate the removal of asylum-seekers to Rwanda run contrary to the basic principles of the rule of law and risk delivering a serious blow to human rights.
The BCC’s head of trade policy, William Bain, urged the UK government to provide more support to British retailers ahead of its budget next week…reports Asian Lite News
Disruptions to global trade caused by the Houthi campaign against shipping in the Red Sea is affecting more than half of all retailers in the UK.
Research conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce across more than 1,000 companies in the UK found that container shipping prices have jumped as much as 300 percent, while goods have been delayed for up to a month, prompting supply shortages and cash flow problems.
The Houthis launched their campaign against commercial vessels in November in a bid to end Israeli military strikes on Gaza, which began in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
Air and sea strikes against the Houthis in Yemen by US and UK forces have so far failed to curtail the attacks. Eighteen Houthi targets were hit in airstrikes over the weekend.
The average cost of shipping goods from China to Europe has more than doubled, with most ships preferring to travel around Africa rather than risk attack by approaching the Suez Canal.
In 2023, around 22 percent of all commercial shipping containers passed through the canal, according to the UN Conference on Trade and Development. That total has since fallen by 82 percent, with 586 ships rerouting around Africa.
The BCC’s head of trade policy, William Bain, urged the UK government to provide more support to British retailers ahead of its budget next week.
“There has been spare capacity in the shipping freight industry to respond to the difficulties, which has bought us some time. And recent (government) data also indicates the impact has yet to filter through to the UK economy, with inflation holding steady in January,” he said.
“But our research suggests that the longer the current situation persists, the more likely it is that the cost pressures will start to build.”
Bain said new post-Brexit laws “adding to costs and delays” had made it “a difficult time for firms.”
Credit ratings agency Moody’s warned this month that retailers would experience a “material impact on profitability by the end of 2024” if the situation in the Red Sea did not significantly improve.
Bain said: “The UK economy saw a drop in its total goods exports for 2023 and, with global demand weak, there is a need for the government to look at providing support in the March budget.”
The crisis has also led to an increase in pressure on air freight companies, with delivery aggregator ParcelHero noting an uptick of 8 percent on spot rates between Europe and China, and 14 percent between China and the US.
Supply issues are expected to worsen in March as Chinese exports increase following the country’s New Year holidays, which concluded over the weekend.
David Jinks, head of consumer research at ParcelHero, said: “Initially, there was a scramble for aviation services as businesses rushed to get products out before the festivities began.
“Now the continuing demand for air freight on this route is because many ships are berthed for the duration and containers are stuck firmly in Chinese ports until manufacturing ramps up enough to restore full services.
“Air freight enables those companies manufacturing and operating in Asia to leapfrog the Chinese bottleneck.”
Experts noted that despite being considered a world power and having a naval base in Djibouti (near the area of the incident), did not respond to the distress call from merchant vessel Marlin Luanda and it was the Indian Navy that demonstrated swift action.
The Chinese navy has started escorting Chinese cargo ships through the Red Sea, according to a shipping company and Chinese state media reports, Voice of America (VOA) reported.
The development comes at a time when various cargo shipping companies have decided to avoid the globally important trade passage citing attacks from Houthi rebels.
Since November, Iran-backed Houthis have launched scores of drone and missile attacks on ships passing through the Red Sea, acts that they say are in support of Palestinian militant group Hamas in the war with Israel.
Significantly, weighing in on recent attacks on merchant ships by armed Houthi rebels and suspected pirates on the Red Sea and western Arabian Sea, experts and distinguished voices from across the world, while commending the prompt response by the Indian Navy to distressed vessels, called out China over the lack of similar rescue missions.
Hailing the rescue of crew from distressed merchant vessel Marlin Luanda in the Gulf of Aden, the experts noted that despite being considered a world power and having a naval base in Djibouti (near the area of the incident), did not respond to the distress call and it was the Indian Navy that demonstrated swift action.
“India takes over. Superpower rising…Stop drooling over China,” Europe-based historian and researcher, Martin Sauerbrey posted on X.
British journalist Mark Urban also called it ‘fascinating’ that India, and not China, has risen to the crisis in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.”
Among the emerging great powers fascinating to see how India has risen to the crisis in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea…China not so much,” Urban posted on X.
A US-led coalition has responded to the attacks with missile strikes on Houthi positions, backed by a collective force from Bahrain, Britain, Canada, France, Holland, Italy, Norway, the Seychelles, and Spain. But they have so far not stopped ships from being targeted, as per VOA.
At a time when most shipping companies have re-routed to go around Africa, doubling costs and shipping times, Sea Legend Shipping, a Qingdao-based company registered in Singapore, is actively promoting its cargo business through the Red Sea.
The company said since January, the Chinese navy has provided security escorts for its five cargo ships in the Red Sea, making it one of the few still operating in the region, according to Chinese media.
In an emailed response to a request for confirmation and comment on the scope of protection being provided, Yuan Mu, a spokesperson for China’s Embassy in Washington, referred VOA to departments directly responsible, according to VOA.
The spokesperson in an emailed response said, “On the whole, China stands ready to work with all parties to safeguard the safety of international shipping lanes.”
Although the Houthis have said that ships from some countries, including China and Russia, can safely pass through the Red Sea, a British oil tanker carrying Russian oil was hit by a Houthi missile and caught fire last week.
Shipping news site oilprice.com reports that even tankers carrying Russian fuel are now avoiding the Red Sea.
About 40 per cent of trade between Europe and Asia goes through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, and about 12 per cent of the globe’s sea trade in oil. (ANI)
Manufacturers have experienced growing supply chain difficulties, as the Red Sea crisis led to the rerouting of deliveries of raw materials, components and other goods away from the Suez Canal…reports Asian Lite News
Britain’s factories have been hit by disruption caused by Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea that led to shipping delays and contributed to rising costs, as the boss of Adidas warned about “exploding” global freight rates.
UK manufacturers have experienced growing supply chain difficulties, as the Red Sea crisis led to the rerouting of deliveries of raw materials, components and other goods away from the Suez Canal, a survey has shown.
The UK manufacturing sector remained in decline at the start of 2024, when output and new orders fell further, leading to more job losses and cuts in purchasing and stocks, according to the monthly survey from S&P Global.
Its purchasing managers’ index was at 47.0 in January, up from 46.2 in December but below an earlier flash estimate of 47.3. Any reading below 50 indicates contraction; any reading above points to expansion.
The Yemen-based Houthi rebels, who are aligned with Iran, have said they attacked ships in response to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. Israel is retaliating against an attack on 7 October by Hamas, which controls Gaza. The US and UK governments have launched airstrikes against the Houthi rebels.
Some manufacturers in the survey said 12 to 18 days could be added to some expected deliveries, disrupting their production schedules and raising inflationary pressures at a time when companies were struggling with weak demand at home and overseas.
Bjørn Gulden, the chief executive of Adidas, Europe’s largest sportswear manufacturer Adidas, said shipping disruptions would affect profit margins. He said “exploding” freight rates were driving up costs and shipping delays were causing some delivery problems.
Gulden said: “The spot rates are exploding again, so if you don’t have a long-term contract or you ship more than your contract there is an increased cost because of that.
“There is a delay currently of about three weeks which of course causes some delivery issues, especially to the European market.”
The world’s top shipping companies, including Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, have diverted ships from the Suez Canal and rerouted them around the southern tip of Africa, adding thousands of miles to journeys and delaying the arrival in Europe of manufacturing components and goods such as clothes and shoes made in Asia.
Rob Dobson, the director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: “Cost and stock management initiatives are being complicated by the Red Sea crisis. Diverting purchased inputs, especially those sourced from the Asia-Pacific region, around the Cape of Good Hope is raising prices and extending supplier lead times.”
The Suez canal normally handles about 12% of global trade, and about half of freight shipped through the canal is made up of containerised goods. Oil shipments also travel through this route, from the Persian Gulf to Europe and North America, and the continued Houthi rebel attacks on container ships have driven crude oil prices higher.
In the US, the Institute for Supply Management’s latest manufacturing survey, also released on Thursday, showed supplier delivery times rebounded to their highest level in more than a year, while the prices paid index hit a nine-month high.
However, the overall manufacturing index bounced back to 49.1 in January from 47.1 in December, suggesting the downturn in the sector was receding.
Freight travelling through the Suez Canal has almost halved since Yemen’s Houthi rebels began attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea, Sky News reported.
The key shipping lane links producers in the Asia-Pacific region and Western markets — and longer, alternative routes have caused delays and increased costs.
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), which supports developing countries in global trade, said the number of ships using the canal over the last two months had fallen by 39 per cent, leading to a 45 per cent decline in freight tonnage, Sky News reported.
Jan Hoffmann, the agency’s head of trade logistics, said there were now three key global trade routes disrupted, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Panama Canal, where low water levels from drought meant shipping last month was down 36 per cent year-on-year and 62 per cent from two years ago, Sky News reported.
He said: “We are very concerned. We are seeing delays, higher costs, higher greenhouse gas emissions.”
Pollution was rising, he said, because ships were opting for longer routes and also travelling faster to compensate for detours.
The Suez Canal handles 12-15 per cent of global trade and 25-30 per cent of container traffic.
Container shipments through the canal were down 82 per cent in the week to 19 January from early December, Sky News reported.
Hoffmann said food prices could feel the impact, adding about half of the increases seen since the war in Ukraine were due to higher transport costs, although consumers in developed countries may take some time to see an effect.
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said two missiles exploded near a vessel, adding that the US-UK maritime coalition had responded to the attack.
Yemen’s Houthi armed group has said it has launched a new missile attack on a British oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, setting it on fire.
“Our forces today (Friday) targeted the British oil vessel Marlin Luanda in the Gulf of Aden with several naval missiles. The hit was accurate and caused a fire on the ship,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by the group’s al-Masirah TV.
Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British maritime observer agency, said it received a report of an attack on a vessel 60 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s Aden. It said two missiles exploded near a vessel, adding that the US-UK maritime coalition had responded to the attack, Xinhua news agency reported.
In an updated report, the UKMTO said the vessel was struck and caught on fire, adding that the vessel had asked for urgent help.
In the meantime, the U.S. Central Command said earlier on Friday that the Houthi group fired one anti-ship ballistic missile toward the US destroyer USS Carney in the Gulf of Aden.
“The missile was successfully shot down by USS Carney. There were no injuries or damage reported,” the Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, said in a post on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
Tensions have been rising in the Red Sea, where the Houthis say their attacks on commercial vessels are in solidarity with the Palestinians, while the US and the UK, since January 12, have been launching airstrikes on Houthi targets to deter the militant group from disrupting maritime traffic.
Tension has soared in the Red Sea area since Yemen’s Houthis launched a campaign of attacks on international shipping in November…reports Asian Lite News
Britain’s Ministry of Defence on Sunday announced the government would spend £405 million ($514 million) on improving a missile system currently being used by the Royal Navy to shoot down drones fired by Houthi rebels at ships in the Red Sea.
Tension has soared in the Red Sea area since Yemen’s Houthis launched a campaign of attacks on international shipping in November.
The Sea Viper Air Defence system will be upgraded with missiles featuring a new warhead and software enabling it to counter ballistic missile threats, the ministry said.
“As the situation in the Middle East worsens, it is vital that we adapt to keep the UK, our allies and partners safe,” British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said.
“Sea Viper has been at the forefront of this, being the Navy’s weapon of choice in the first shooting-down of an aerial threat in more than 30 years.”
The contract for the missiles upgrade was won by the British division of MBDA, a joint venture between Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.
Last week Shapps visited HMS Diamond in the Red Sea, which has used the Sea Viper missile system to intercept drones used by Houthi rebels. HMS Diamond, three US destroyers and a French warship comprise the current US-led international task force Operation Prosperity Guardian.
“A cutting-edge weapon system, Sea Viper continues to provide the Royal Navy with impressive lethality,” said Rear Admiral Anthony Rimington. “Sea Viper Evolution further enhances this capability against the more complex and evolving threats and strengthens our co-operation and interoperability with key partners.”
HMS Diamond, part of Operation Prosperity Guardian in the Red Sea, has the capability to use the
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is concerned about the escalation of hostilities between the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen and the US and its allies in the Red Sea, the kingdom’s Foreign Minister said on Sunday.
Of course we are very worried,” Prince Faisal bin Farhan told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS in an interview that was due to air on Sunday. “We are in a very difficult and dangerous time in the region, and that’s why we are calling for de-escalation,” he said.
The Houthis claim the attacks are aimed at pressuring Israel to stop its war in Gaza, in which more than 25,000 people have been killed since October 7. The group, which rules much of central and northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, is backed by Iran and opposes Israel.
After months of attacks, including on US warships, the US and the UK launched air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The US has followed up with several rounds of strikes since but the Houthis have continued attacking ships and repeatedly pledged they will not stop.
On Saturday, the US military said it struck a Houthi anti-ship missile that was being prepared for launch into the Gulf of Aden.
“US forces determined the missile presented a threat to merchant vessels and US Navy ships in the region, and subsequently struck and destroyed the missile in self-defence,” the US Central Command said in a statement on X. The move follows three similar strikes late on Friday.
US President Biden has said air strikes would continue even though he admitted they may not be halting Houthi attacks.
The container vessel Kota Rahmat approaches Bab Al Mandeb off Obock, Djibouti. Cargo ships crossing the Red Sea are declaring they have no links to Israel to avoid being targeted by Yemen’s Houthis. Getty Images
The container vessel Kota Rahmat approaches Bab Al Mandeb off Obock, Djibouti. Cargo ships crossing the Red Sea are declaring they have no links to Israel to avoid being targeted by Yemen’s Houthis. Getty Images
Global trade and inflation risks
Most of the world’s large shipping companies are avoiding the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, choosing to reroute their vessels travelling from Asia to Europe and vice versa round the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa.
“We will only return [to the Red Sea] when we deem the passage safe ad secure, this is still not the case yet,” Nils Haupt, a director at Hapag-Lloyd, told The National.
Shipping rates have soared as a result of the rerouting. For example, the cost of shipping a 40ft container from Port Klang in Malaysia to Rotterdam in the Netherlands has increase by more than 200 per cent to $5,100, according to research by the website FMT.
Economists say there is a good chance the added costs will feed through to inflation, particular in European countries, as companies pass the added costs on to the prices charged to customers.
“As well as potential product and materials shortages, many companies will be forced to turn to air freight, further increasing costs and their carbon impact and eating into profit margins,” said Phil Bulman, partner at global management consultancy Arthur D. Little.
The White House confirmed in a statement that this was the fourth preemptive action taken by the US military amid boiling tensions in the Red Sea.
The United States carried out a fresh round of attack against the Houthi rebels in Yemen destroying three anti-ship missiles in the Red Sea.
The White House confirmed in a statement that this was the fourth preemptive action taken by the US military amid boiling tensions in the Red Sea.
“This morning, US forces conducted three successful self-defence strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. This is the fourth preemptive action that the US military has taken in the past,” White House said in a statement on Friday.
The US Central Command informed that the attack was carried out at around 6:45 pm (Sanaa time) after the anti-ship missiles “presented an imminent threat” to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region.
“As part of ongoing efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on maritime vessels, US Navy ships are present in the Red Sea. On Jan. 19 at approximately 6:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), US Central Command forces conducted strikes against three Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed into the Southern Red Sea and were prepared to launch,” the US Central Command posted on X.
“US forces identified the missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region. US forces subsequently struck and destroyed the missiles in self-defense. This action will make international waters safe and secure for US navy vessels and merchant vessels,” it added.
U.S. CENTCOM Destroys Three Houthi Terrorists' Anti-Ship Missiles
As part of ongoing efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on maritime vessels, U.S. Navy ships are present in the Red Sea. On Jan. 19 at approximately 6:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central… pic.twitter.com/vPYUaIvvA5
Earlier on Thursday, Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles at US Ship Chem Ranger, but no injury or damage was reported, US Central Command said.
Prior to this, the US forces had launched strikes on 14 Houthi missiles “that were loaded to be fired in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen” on Thursday.
US called the attack its ongoing multi-national efforts to protect freedom of navigation and prevent attacks on US and partner maritime traffic in the Red Sea on January 17 at approximately 11:59 p.m. (Sanaa time).
Notably, the US redesignated the Yemeni group as a “terrorist” organisation in response to its continuing attacks and threats to shipping and imposed sanctions on it. The designation does not go into effect for 30 days.
The Houthis said the designation will not affect its operations to prevent Israeli ships or vessels heading to Israel from crossing the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The Houthis, who support the Palestinian armed group Hamas, launched their attacks in response to Israel’s war on Gaza. Their strikes have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and alarmed major world powers, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI)
Indian Navy is assisting to secure the shipping lines to prevent any damage to the ships as India holds importance to freedom of commerce in the region…reports Asian Lite News
India is deeply concerned with the recent attacks on the vessels in the Red Sea as it serves as an important shipping lane for the world including India, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.
MEA official spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said that the Indian Navy is assisting to secure the shipping lines to prevent any damage to the ships as India holds importance to freedom of commerce in the region.
“We have made our position very clear. It’s a matter of concern for us. we gave a lot of importance to freedom of navigation and freedom of commerce in that region. Whatever is happening there not just impacts us, but impacts economic interest of so many people. That is where we are, we are closely monitoring our position, looking at the unfolding situation with close watch,” he said.
While addressing the MEAe weekly briefing, he also mentioned the recent visit of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Iran last week and said that in conversation with the Iranian side, EAM discussed various regional and global issues including the unfolding situation in the region.
He said, “When the External Affairs minister visited Iran, he made a joint press statement while he was there. This issue of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the violence there, the destabilising nature of things there was discussed. We are deeply concerned about the whole situation.”
He added, “It does impact not just us, but it’s an important shipping lane for the world. So we have our own interests which have impacted but the same time we have Indian Navy which is patrolling the area. They are trying to secure the area and do their best so that our economic interests would not be impacted.”
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy chief Hari Kumar said on Thursday that the Indian Navy is coordinating with navies of “partners” countries to ensure safe sea passage amid the “resurgence” of piracy attacks.
The Naval Chief said while interacting with media persons on the sidelines of an event at Manekshaw Centre. He asserted that the Indian Navy won’t permit any piracy.
Answering the question about the piracy challenge in the Indian Ocean Region, Hari Kumar said: “We have seen that till about last year, piracy had become zero. We have seen a resurgence that is probably because of the disturbance due to drone attacks in the Red Sea. We have taken robust action. We have deployed an adequate number of actions. We are not allowing any piracy will be taken.”
Moreover, the United States has announced the designation of Ansarallah, also known as the Houthis, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in response to their continuing threats and attacks.
Following the rebels’ attacks on ships in the Red Sea, the US started strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Wednesday, prompting Washington to relist the group as “specially designated global terrorists.”
The Houthi rebels, who are an Iran-aligned group, claimed to have launched the strikes in retaliation for Israel’s Gaza conflict.
The Houthis have launched several drone and missile attacks on Israel since it went to war with Hamas in Gaza. However, the majority of these projectiles were intercepted. Israel launched air strikes in Gaza and later rolled out its tanks across the border in response to the Hamas attacks on October 7, last year. (ANI)
US military says no injuries or damage caused by anti-ship cruise missile fired towards USS Laboon
The United States military has shot down a missile fired at one of its vessels by Iran-backed Houthis, officials have said, in the first known attack on US forces by the rebel group since Washington began its latest air strikes on Yemen.
A US fighter aircraft shot down the anti-ship cruise missile after it was fired from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen towards the USS Laboon in the Red Sea, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Sunday.
“The missile was shot down in vicinity of the coast of Hodeida by US fighter aircraft,” CENTCOM said. “There were no injuries or damage reported.”
The attack is the first to be acknowledged by the US since Washington and its allies on Friday began launching air and cruise missile strikes on Yemen in response to Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The Houthis, which have yet to acknowledge the latest incident, have carried out repeated attacks on cargo ships that the group says are linked to Israel, in a show of support for Palestinians under Israeli bombardment in Gaza.
At least 26 vessels have been attacked by the Houthis since they seized the Israeli-linked Galaxy Leader vessel in November.
The attacks have forced some of the world’s largest shipping operators to redirect their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa, severely disrupting global trade.
On Jan. 14 at approximately 4:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), an anti-ship cruise missile was fired from Iranian-backed Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward USS Laboon (DDG 58), which was operating in the Southern Red Sea. The missile was shot down in vicinity of the coast of Hudaydah by… pic.twitter.com/jftZHQhA2e
Traffic through the Red Sea, which normally facilitates the movement of $3bn-$9bn worth of cargo each day, has dropped by more than 40 percent since the start of the attacks.
Earlier on Sunday, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam accused the US of violating national sovereignty by flying aircraft close to Yemeni airspace and coastal areas, although it is not clear if the two incidents were linked.
Meanwhile, Houthis’ spokesperson said that US strikes on Yemen had no significant impact on its capabilities. Houthis will continue to prevent Israel-affiliated vessels from passing through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, Mohammed Abdulsalam told news agency Reuters following the latest strike on a military base in Sanaa. Another Yemen’s Houthi group Ansarullah’s official told Al Jazeera that there were no injuries in the strike and the group has vowed a “strong and effective” response. “There were no injuries, no material nor human losses,” Nasruldeen Amer said.
The first day of U.S.-led strikes Friday hit 28 locations and struck more than 60 targets with cruise missiles and bombs launched by fighter jets, warships and a submarine. Sites hit included weapon depots, radars and command centers, including in remote mountain areas, the U.S. has said.
The Houthis have yet to acknowledge how severe the damage was from the strikes, which they said killed five of their troops and wounded six others.
U.S. forces followed up with a strike Saturday on a Houthi radar site.
Shipping through the Red Sea has slowed over the attacks. The U.S. Navy on Friday warned American-flagged vessels to steer clear of areas around Yemen in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for 72 hours after the initial airstrikes.
For their part, the Houthis alleged without providing evidence that the U.S. struck a site near Hodeida on Sunday around the same time of the cruise missile fire. The Americans and the United Kingdom did not acknowledge conducting any strike — suggesting the blast may have been from a misfiring Houthi missile.
Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. But they have frequently targeted vessels with tenuous or no clear links to Israel, imperiling shipping in a key route for global trade.
Though the Biden administration and its allies have tried to calm tensions in the Middle East for weeks and prevent any wider conflict, the strikes threatened to ignite one.
Saudi Arabia, which supports the Yemeni government-in-exile that the Houthis are fighting, sought to distance itself from the attacks on Houthi sites as it tries to maintain a delicate détente with Iran and a cease-fire it has in Yemen. The Saudi-led, U.S.-backed war in Yemen that began in 2015 has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters, killing tens of thousands more.
The American military did not specifically say the fire targeted the Laboon, following a pattern by the U.S. since the Houthi attacks began. However, U.S. sailors have received combat ribbons for their actions in the Red Sea— something handed out only to those who face active hostilities with an enemy force.
