Houthis Ramp Up Pressure as US-Flagged Tanker Escapes Disaster

Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted the U.S.-flagged oil tanker Torm Thor with a missile in the Gulf of Aden but missed, according to U.S. Central Command. The attacks on ships have escalated due to Houthi drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait since November. The Houthis banned ships affiliated with Israel, the U.S., and Britain from sailing in the surrounding seas.

Despite U.S. and British responses to the attacks, the Iran-aligned group continues to target commercial ships. The Torm Thor, part of the U.S. government’s tanker security program, was accompanied by a U.S. military escort. Concerns have also risen about the fate of the abandoned cargo ship Ruby Lake, hit by a Houthi missile and leaking fuel in the southern Red Sea.

The owner of the Rubymar ship is considering towing it to Saudi Arabia to patch a hole left by the missile. The ship was carrying 22,000 tons of fertilizer. The unrest caused by Israel’s conflict with Hamas has spread to other parts of the Middle East, with various groups engaging in attacks and conflicts. The situation remains volatile, with shipping routes at risk due to ongoing attacks.

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