Houthi Militant Aerial and Maritime Attacks Rock Global Shipping Near Yemen

Iran-allied Houthi militants claimed responsibility for attacks involving small watercraft and missiles, damaging the Greek-owned cargo ship Tutor near Yemen's Red Sea port. These attacks have destabilized global shipping routes, prompting international military responses and complications in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict mediation efforts.

Iran-allied Houthi militants on Wednesday took responsibility for small watercraft and missile attacks that left a Greek-owned cargo ship taking on water and in need of rescue near Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah. The Houthis said the Tutor coal carrier was seriously damaged and vulnerable to sinking after they targeted the vessel with an unmanned surface boat, drones and ballistic missiles.

Houthi militants, who control Yemen's capital and most populous areas, have attacked international shipping in the Red Sea region since November in solidarity with the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas. They have sunk one ship, seized another vessel, and killed three seafarers in another attack. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which acts as a conduit between ship operators and military and security forces, earlier on Wednesday said the Liberian-flagged Tutor was taking on water and not under command of the crew after sustaining damage in its engine room.

UKMTO said a small craft of white colour collided with the cargo ship's stern and that an "unknown airborne projectile" also struck the vessel. "It was hit twice by air and by sea. There are no reports of injuries," a Greek ministry official said, on condition of anonymity. The Tutor was sailing to India when it was hit, that person said.

The vessel's manager was not immediately available for comment. The Tutor loaded at the Port of Ust-Luga, Russia, on May 18 and discharged at Port Said, Egypt, on June 9, according to LSEG data. Its next scheduled destination was Aqaba, Jordan, according to that data.

The Houthi attacks have upended global trade by forcing ship owners to reroute vessels away from the vital Suez Canal shortcut, and drawn retaliatory U.S. and British strikes since February. On Wednesday, the Houthis said they also carried out two joint military operations with Islamic Resistance in Iraq, targeting sites in Israel's cities of Ashdod and Haifa. The latter group confirmed the operations.

The Houthi attacks continue while negotiators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar attempt to mediate a ceasefire in the Gaza war, which began after Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages in an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies. Israel responded with an air, ground and sea assault on the Palestinian territory that has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities.

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