An oil tanker was reportedly attacked three times in the Red Sea on August 13, in what’s believed to be the latest in a string of ongoing attacks by Houthi rebels based out of Yemen.
A pair of explosions marked the first attack on the Liberian-flagged tanker, the Associated Press reports. The explosives were detonated aboard two smaller vessels with flashing lights that had moved alongside the oil tanker. The third attack came hours later, when an uncrewed vessel collided with the tanker but did not explode. Armed security aboard the tanker opened fire on the vessel and disabled it. A separate Panama-flagged oil tanker was also attacked by an exploding ship that same day. Neither tanker sustained damage.
Houthi rebels have not claimed responsibility for the attacks, but have targeted at least 70 other ships with missiles and drones in the Red Sea since October of 2023. A two-week lull in attacks ended on August 4, when Houthis launched a missile at the Liberian-flagged Groton. Houthi activity had previously slowed since Israel launched an airstrike on fuel depots in Yemen’s port city of Hodeida.
