Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group fired five missiles at a Chinese-owned oil tanker on Saturday, violating safe navigation promises the group negotiated with China and Russia in March. It seems that.
MV Huangpu is a Panamanian-flagged tanker owned and operated by a Chinese company.At 2:50 a.m. local time on Saturday, the Houthis launched The first of five anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) was fired at the ship, and the barrage ended about two hours later.
The first four missiles reportedly missed their target, but at 4:25 p.m. local time, the Houthis launched a fifth missile that hit its target. Huangpu, A fire broke out on board, causing minor damage. The fire was extinguished within 30 minutes and the ship continued sailing, the crew said.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) both confirmed attacks on Chinese tankers.
“The Houthis attacked the MV” yellow “Despite having previously stated that it would not attack Chinese vessels,” CENTCOM said.
Representatives of China and Russia reportedly In March, he met with senior Houthi leaders in Oman and negotiated a formal agreement for safe passage of ships.Formerly the Houthis Said Although they did not intend to attack Chinese or Russian ships, they did so several times during the Red Sea Terrorist Operations.
USNI News I got it. Houthis are unusually silent about the attack on MV Huangpu, As usual, they neglected to announce the attack on social media or claim that extreme damage had been done to the ship. The Chinese Communist Party government has also remained silent about the attack.
analyst of maritime executives was suggested On Sunday, it was suggested that the Houthis may have mistakenly identified them. Huangpu The ship was previously owned by a company with a business address in the UK and was therefore treated as a UK ship. A new Hong Kong-based holding company called Hera Gum Ltd. purchased the ship from January 2024 onwards.
of maritime executives I got it:
Any entity, regardless of nationality, may set up an anonymous company in Hong Kong and use it as a listed shipowner record. The ease and speed of registration has made the region a preferred global jurisdiction for shell companies for both Chinese and foreign interests. Without further information, it is not possible to confirm the nationality of the ultimate beneficiary.
Centcom too report Guided missile destroyer USS carny and other U.S. forces engaged six Houthi drones over the Red Sea on Saturday. Five of the drones crashed into the sea, but one was able to fly inland to Yemen.
“These unmanned aircraft have been determined to pose an imminent threat to U.S., Allied, and commercial shipping in the region,” Centcom said. “These steps are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make the high seas safer and more secure for U.S., coalition forces, and commercial shipping.”
