US Ready to Attack Houthi Missiles that Hit British Royal Ships

Mytips.id, NEWS - A Marshall Islands-flagged tanker ship, Marlin Luanda, which was hit by a missile launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen, managed to extinguish the fire after hours of struggle on Saturday, according to authorities. 

The attack on Marlin Luanda further complicates the crisis in the Red Sea caused by the Iranian-backed rebel's attacks on Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. 

The tanker was carrying Russian-produced nafta, a highly flammable oil, dragging Moscow deeper into the conflict, which they have so far blamed the US for.

On Saturday morning, US forces launched an attack on Houthi anti-ship missiles intended for the Red Sea and poised for launch, according to the US Central Command. 

The attack came after USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, had to shoot down a Houthi missile targeting it. 

Marlin Luanda burned for hours in the Gulf of Aden until it was finally extinguished on Saturday, said Trafigura, a Singapore-based trading company. 

Its crew, consisting of 25 Indian nationals and two Sri Lankans, are still working to put out the fire caused by the missile attack, the company added. No one was injured in the explosion, it further stated.

"We are pleased to confirm that the entire crew of the Marlin Luanda ship is safe and the fire in the cargo tank has been completely extinguished," Trafigura said. 

"The ship is now sailing to a safe port." The Indian Navy said its destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, aided the crew of Marlin Luanda in extinguishing the fire. 

The company posted images showing the flames still raging on Saturday, likely ignited by the nafta on board. The ship, managed by a British company, was carrying Russian nafta to Singapore, the company said. 

They described the highly flammable oil as being purchased below the price limit determined by the G7 sanctions imposed on Russia in its ongoing war with Ukraine. The environmental impact of the attack is yet to be determined.

Houthi military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack on Marlin Luanda in a statement recorded earlier on Friday night, referring to it as a "British oil ship." He emphasized that such attacks would continue. 

Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel's attacks on Hamas in Gaza. However, they often target vessels with weak or unclear links to Israel, thus endangering shipping on major global trade routes between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

Since the air campaign began, the rebels have now stated that they will also target American and British vessels. 

On Wednesday, two US-flagged vessels carrying cargo for the US Departments of Defense and State were attacked by the Houthi, forcing the accompanying US Navy warship to fire several projectiles. China, which relies on sea trade through the region, has called for calm. The US is trying to pressure China to cut off ties with Iran, as Beijing remains the main buyer of Iranian oil sanctioned by the West.

Thus far, Russia has criticized the US and UK for their attacks targeting the Houthi group and has also met with the rebel group in Moscow in recent days.

 The top commander of the US Navy in the Middle East told AP on Monday that the Houthi attacks are the worst since the so-called Tanker War in the 1980s. 

The peak of this conflict saw a one-day naval battle between Washington and Tehran and witnessed the accidental shooting down of an Iranian passenger jet by the US Navy, killing 290 people in 1988.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, authorities reported a separate incident in which a ship in the Arabian Sea reported seeing armed individuals with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers boarding their vessel. 

"The small aircraft approached within a distance of 300 meters (approximately 985 feet)," said the British military-owned United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. "The security team on the ship fired warning shots, and an exchange of fire occurred before the small aircraft withdrew."

It was reported that all passengers are safe. The private security company Ambrey described the incident involving a small "Somalia-style" boat assisted by a larger mother ship. As Houthi attacks escalate, suspicions of Somali pirate activity also increase.