According to British and American authorities, a Greek-owned bulk carrier was badly damaged in a collision with an unmanned surface vessel launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen. The incident caused the bulk carrier to flood. This happened on June 13th.
According to a bulletin from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, the captain of the M/V Tutor, a massive ship weighing 44,000 tons, reported that their vessel was no longer under the control of the crew and was taking on water. This was after being struck in the stern by a 16-23 foot-long craft in an attack that occurred on Wednesday in the Red Sea, approximately 66 miles southwest of the port of Hudaydah.
According to the maritime coordination center run by the Royal Navy, military authorities are providing assistance in the area. They have advised vessels to exercise caution while transiting and report any suspicious activity.
According to a post on X, the U.S. military forces in the region conducted attacks on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and successfully destroyed three anti-ship cruise missile launchers. The incident occurred simultaneously with the aforementioned military operation.
The military successfully destroyed an uncrewed aerial system that was launched from a region in Yemen controlled by the Houthi group. The incident occurred over the Red Sea.
The Houthis in Yemen have been condemned by CENTCOM for their recent attack on the Tutor and for firing two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea, which fortunately missed their intended targets.
According to CENTCOM, the engine room suffered significant damage and flooding as a result of the impact of the USV.
The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, persistently engage in dangerous and harmful actions that not only jeopardize the safety of mariners in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden but also pose a threat to the stability of the region.
The Houthi military spokesman has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Tutor and stated that the vessel has been left in a seriously damaged state, making it vulnerable to sinking.
According to him, the sea drone had specifically targeted their ship due to the violation of the group’s “ban on entry to the ports of occupied Palestine” by the owners.
The Houthis have been targeting commercial shipping vessels on the vital Red Sea route that connects the West to the Middle East, sub-Continent, and Asia. They have been using drones and missiles to attack these ships, citing their support for the Palestinian cause in the Gaza conflict.
In Yemen and the Red Sea, U.S. and British forces conducted their first joint “defensive” strikes in two weeks. Warplanes were deployed to target Houthi facilities, resulting in the destruction of eight drones.
According to CENTCOM, the reason for the attacks was due to the threat that the unmanned aerial vehicles and other targets in Houthi-controlled areas and above the Red Sea posed to both U.S. and coalition forces in the region.
