2024-07-21 17:36:54
Singapore: A Singapore-flagged ship was damaged in an attack allegedly carried out by Houthi rebels. 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 the crew did not include any Singaporean citizen and all the personnel on the ship are safe. He said that despite the attack by Houthi rebels, the ship managed to reach Somalia’s Berbera port 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 alerted its security partners in the Gulf of Aden to provide assistance. The military spokesman of the Houthi rebels said on television that the group attacked Lobivia with ballistic missiles and drones.
How was the attack carried out?
Britain’s maritime trade governing body said the ship was attacked twice by two missiles about 83 nautical miles southeast of the Yemeni port city of Aden. “The ship was heading northeast through the Gulf of Aden when a nearby merchant vessel observed ‘lights and explosions’ in the area where Lobiwia was located,” Channel News Asia quoted British security firm Embrey as saying. Embrey said the ship immediately took evasive action and turned off its automatic detection system about an hour later.
Why are Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacking
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been carrying out a series of drone and missile attacks on ships passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since last November. They say that these attacks are being done to show support for the Palestinians affected by Israel’s war in Gaza. So far two ships have sunk in these attacks and three sailors have been killed along with the seizure of another. Due to the attacks, global trade through the Suez Canal has been severely disrupted.
On Tuesday, the Liberian-flagged oil tanker Chios Lion was forced to turn back to assess damage and check for a possible oil spill after it was attacked in the Red Sea. Britain and the US have been carrying out retaliatory strikes since February, shooting down several drones and bombing sites in Yemen used for attacks.