Houthi missile strikes tanker in the Red Sea

According to US Central Command the Panama-flagged tanker suffered flooding as a result of the attack that happened at 1am on 18 May. The flooding of the vessel caused a loss of propulsion and steering.

According to Equasis the vessel Wind is a 2003-built aframax and part of the fleet of Adriatic Tankers Shipping Co.

US Centcom reported that a coalition vessel went to the aid of the Wind but assistance was not required and the crew was able to restore propulsion and steering. No casualties were reported and the vessel resumed course under its own power.

The tanker was reportedly on a voyage from Russia to China.

US Centcom said that a second ASBM was fired from Houthi controlled Yemen at 9:35pm on the same day over the Gulf of Aden, but no damage was reported to either commercial or coalition vessels.

“This continued malign and reckless behaviour by the Iranian-backed Houthis threatens regional stability and endangers the lives of mariners across the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” said US Centcom.

The Houthi have recently extended the range of their attacks in the Western Indian Ocean and also threatened to strike vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea that are calling Israeli ports.