Yemen’s Houthi rebels, led by military spokesperson Yahya Sarea, announced on Tuesday that they had targeted a fuel tanker named MADO in the Red Sea using naval missiles. They claimed to have launched winged missiles at Israel’s Eilat port and resort region.
While the tanker, MADO, was flagged under the Marshall Islands and was en route from Saudi Arabia to Singapore, the Houthis referred to it as American. However, shipping data from Equasis revealed that MADO is owned by Naftomar Shipping & Trading Co Ltd of Greece. As of now, Naftomar has not commented on the incident.
These attacks mark another episode in the ongoing conflict, with the Houthis justifying their actions as solidarity with Palestinians against Israeli military actions in Gaza.
Since mid-November, Houthi militants have frequently targeted international commercial shipping in the Red Sea area, disrupting global maritime trade and necessitating longer and more costly routes around southern Africa.
Responding to these provocations, the United States, Britain, and other naval forces have conducted strikes against Houthi positions.
Houthi militants attacked Yemen’s central province of Al Bayda, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 people, as reported by Yemen’s official news agency Saba on Tuesday.
These incidents underscore the ongoing violence and instability in Yemen, where the Houthis control significant territory, including the capital, Sanaa, and the key port of Hodeidah.
The conflict in Yemen has persisted since 2014, when the Houthis clashed with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, supported by Western nations and Saudi Arabia. Despite international efforts to broker peace, the situation remains volatile, with frequent clashes and attacks exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the country.
The region braces for further instability and violence, with the prospect of a peaceful resolution seeming increasingly elusive.
