Houthi rebels in Yemen struck the Greek-owned ship Tutor on June 12 with missiles and an unmanned explosive boat. The vessel was confirmed to have sunk by Wednesday.
The Shiite Muslim group, also known as Ansar Allah, posted a video of the strike on social media.
For the first time, the Houthis have used naval drones against ships
This video shows the size of the explosions that sank the Greek-owned M/V Tutor.
1 Filipino sailor was killed in the initial drone strike.
Houthi-allies from Qatar’s Al Jazeera released the footage pic.twitter.com/jnJjEx7kt8
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 20, 2024
American Navy forces rescued the crew of the Tutor prior to its sinking.
Learn the benefits of becoming a Valuetainment Member and subscribe today!
The Red Sea shipping crisis caused by Houthi aggression has been ongoing since 2015 but has escalated significantly in recent months.
The bulk carrier is the second ship that Houthi rebels have managed to sink, and a Filipino crew member was killed in the attack. The Rubymar, a cargo ship carrying fertilizer, sank in March after being attacked by the rebels.
The volume of ships moving through the Suez Canal has dropped by around 50 percent since 2023, according to a report by the Heritage Foundation.
Ships are opting for the Cape of Good Hope route instead, which adds considerable fuel costs to their voyages. Earlier this year, a joint US and UK operation targeted the Houthi rebels, aiming to help secure the Suez Canal and maritime trade in the region.
The current Civil War in Yemen has been ongoing for almost 10 years and has led to famine, historic disease outbreaks, and countless civilian casualties. The war is primarily between the Supreme Political Council (backed by the Houthis) and the Republic of Yemen, which is broadly recognized internationally as the legitimate government. Saudi Arabia led a coalition of forces to intervene in the conflict to reinstall President Hadi in March 2015.
With the Houthis having ties to Iran, some have considered the Yemen conflict a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. During this time, the US maintained positive diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia relative to Iran. In 2017, the Trump White House agreed to a $350 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, which provided them with essential resources for their interests in Yemen.
Add comment