Tanker Carrying Russian Oil to China Attacked by Houthi Sea Drone

Yemen’s Houthi rebels continued their attacks in the Red Sea by targeting two tankers in 24 hours, including a vessel carrying Russian oil likely heading to Asia, where China is the region’s largest buyer.

The Monday attacks come as the West’s sanctions target Russia’s economy due to its invasion of Ukraine. Exporting crude oil to friendly countries has become crucial for the Kremlin to maintain its war economy. China has been the top importer since December 2022, purchasing 53 percent of exported Russian crude oil.

The Houthis launched an uncrewed surface vessel attacking MT Chios Lion, a Liberian-flagged, Marshall Islands-owned, Greek-operated crude oil tanker, according to a statement put out by the United States Military’s Central Command on Tuesday.

Sal Mercogliano, a maritime historian and associate professor of history at Campbell University in North Carolina, wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that the tanker was sailing to Asia. It was carrying 100,000 tons of crude oil from Russia’s Black Sea port of Tuapse, independent Russian news outlet The Moscow Times reported.

The Chios Lion transited Bosphorus Strait southward on July 4, departing the Black Sea and heading to the Mediterranean Sea, according to a ship spotter in Turkey.

The Houthis on Tuesday released a video they claimed showed the attack on the Chios Lion. An uncrewed surface vessel can be seen hitting the tanker and causing a massive fireball. The attack occurred 100 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s port of Hodeidah.

However, the video blurred out the image of the unmanned watercraft. Newsweek could not independently verify the footage.

The Chios Lion suffered minor damage to its port side and changed its course from southward to northward to assess damage and investigate a potential oil spill, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing the Joint Maritime Information Center.

The Houthis also attacked MT Bentley I, a Panama-flagged, Israel-owned, Monaco-operated tanker carrying Russian vegetable oil and bound for China, the U.S. military said.

The rebels used three surface vessels, one uncrewed surface vessel, and two small boats in the first round of attack while employing an anti-ship ballistic missile in the second round.

According to MarineTraffic, a website that tracks ships worldwide, Bentley I’s reported destination is Shanghai, China. It departed the Russian port of Taman in the Black Sea on July 4 and is estimated to arrive on August 4.

The Russian Agriculture Ministry said in May that in the first quarter of the year, Russia accounted for 58.4 percent of Chinese imports of vegetable oil. The country increased its exports of vegetable oil to its quasi-ally by 18.2 percent to 578,300 tons.

No injuries were reported at the time of the announcement, the U.S. Central Command added. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attacks and said they were responding to the Israeli bombing of the Gazan city of Khan Younis on Saturday.

The Yemeni rebels began attacks on the international trade route after the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October last year. The U.S. and several European countries deployed naval ships to protect civilian vessels navigating the Red Sea region.

Bloomberg reported in March that Houthis have told China and Russia their ships can transit the Red Sea region unscathed. Iran backs the rebels, while both Moscow and Beijing have close ties with Tehran.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is also reportedly considering supplying the Houthis with anti-ship missiles.

Source » msn.com