Yemen’s Houthi rebels stepped up their verbal and actual attacks against shipping on Wednesday, claiming strikes on no less than six ships from the Arabian Sea to the Mediterranean.
Only one of these attacks has been independently confirmed so far, against the 82,300-dwt bulker Laax (built 2012) — a ship in the fleet of Piraeus-based Grehel Shipmanagement.
As TradeWinds already reported, the Laax has been damaged after receiving five missile blows in the southern Red Sea on Tuesday.
No independent confirmation exists so far of any strike against any of the other five vessels the Houthis claimed to have attacked in the area on Wednesday.
Two of them are bulkers managed by Greece’s Eastern Mediterranean Maritime — the 63,300-dwt Morea (built 2015) and the 60,400-dwt Sea Lady —both in the Red Sea.
Another two vessels are said by Yahya Saree, the Houthi group’s army spokesman, to have been targeted “with a number of missiles and drones” in the Arabian Sea.
They are the US-flagged 6,188-teu Maersk Hartford (built 2007), which is managed by Maersk Line, and Peter Dohle’s 175,200-dwt capesize Alba (built 2012).
It is the second time the Houthis claim to be targeting a vessel in the Mediterranean.
Saree said that “winged missiles” flew in the direction of Minerva Marine’s 46,900-dwt product tanker Minerva Antonia (built 2008), which is currently in Port Said.
None of the companies contacted by TradeWinds have confirmed any attack against their vessels.
The United Kingdom’s Marine Trade Operations has also not reported any incident against these vessels so far.
Equally unconfirmed remain separate claims by the Houthis earlier this week to have targeted three vessels managed by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Clearlake and Minerva Marine.
Wednesday’s announcement and the confirmed attack against the Laax, however, clearly indicate and coincide with a step-up in Houthi rhetoric.
TradeWinds understands that several Greek shipping companies have received email warnings from an entity describing itself as the “Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center” of the Houthis to steer clear of Israeli trade.
In response, the Union of Greek Shipowners issued a circular to its members to take extra precautions when crossing the Red Sea and to coordinate with European Union navy vessels patrolling the area.
Greek ships have also been increasingly targeted — whether actually or verbally — since the Houthis launched the “fourth phase” of their campaign, in which they said they would target every ship of a company they believe has traded in Israel.
The Houthis seek to disrupt Israeli trade to force the country to cease its military crackdown on Palestinians in Gaza.
The fourth phase also includes intended strikes in the Mediterranean. Including the Minerva Antonia, the Houthis have claimed to have carried out two attacks in the area. Both, however, have yet to be confirmed independently.
The group has already launched about 100 actual strikes against commercial ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden over the past six months and has displayed a capability to carry out long-distance drone strikes in the Indian Ocean.
Carried out via drones, missiles, attempted boardings and one hijacking, the attacks resulted in the death of three seafarers and 10 Houthi fighters, the sinking of the 32,200-dwt bulker Rubymar (built 1997) and the abduction of 25 crew members on the 5,100-ceu Galaxy Leader (built 2002).
