Unrelated cargo ships at Aqaba Port in Jordan. Credit: eugenesergeev via Getty Images.

Yemen’s Houthis attacked a Chinese oil tanker with multiple ballistic missiles on Sunday, despite an agreement with China and Russia to allow their vessels safe passage through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. 

The US Central Command (Centcom) said on social media platform X that the Houthis launched four anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea, minimally damaging a Chinese-owned and operated, Panamanian-flagged oil tanker, MV Huang Pu.  

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“The ship issued a distress call but did not request assistance. MV Huang Pu suffered minimal damage, and a fire on board was extinguished within 30 minutes. No casualties were reported, and the vessel resumed its course,” Centcom said. 

Sources familiar with the matter said China and Russia reached an understanding with the group following talks between their diplomats in Oman and Mohammed Abdel Salam, one of the Houthis’ top political figures, as reported by several media outlets on 21 March. 

According to sources, the two countries might offer political backing to the Houthis in forums like the UN Security Council. The specific form of this support is not evident, but it may involve preventing additional resolutions against the group.

Nevertheless, between 6:50 am and 9:50 am local time, US forces, including USS Carney (DDG 64), engaged six Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the southern part of the Red Sea. Five crashed into the Red Sea, and one flew inland into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, Centcom said.

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The Houthi group’s military spokesperson has not yet issued a statement regarding the reason for the attacks. 

“It was determined these UAVs presented an imminent threat to US, coalition, and merchant vessels in the region. These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for US, coalition, and merchant vessels,” Centcom said in the statement.