The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Friday that the Greek merchant vessel, Tutor, was struck by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and has since been evacuated and left adrift in the Indian Ocean. Houthi militants launched missiles at the vessel, causing severe flooding and damage to its engine room. The vessel most recently docked in Russia and is now floating abandoned in international waters.
The incident is the latest in a string of attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who began targeting merchant ships linked to Israel in November 2023. The US Central Command confirmed the attack in a press release, with US and UK forces responding through military strikes. No injuries or damage to US or coalition ships were reported.
Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) spokesperson justified the attack as a reaction to the vessel’s violation of Houthi-imposed port entry bans. The attack has heightened concerns over the safety of maritime operations within the region, further straining global shipping routes already disrupted by other factors such as drought-related interruptions at the Panama Canal. The US Defense Intelligence Agency recently detailed these impacts in a report, highlighting that the attacks have affected at least 65 countries and forced numerous energy and shipping companies to reroute their vessels.
International reactions have been strong. Both the US and UK have imposed sanctions on key Houthi figures in attempts to curb these activities. In a joint statement, the UK government decried the attacks as illegal and destabilizing. The EU has similarly condemned the attacks for violating navigational rights and threatening the movement of essential goods.
For continued updates on this developing situation, see the full article on JURIST.