Yemeni Revolution

Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile attack on the British oil tanker "Marlin Luanda" in the Gulf of Aden, resulting in a confirmed fire on board, according to maritime security firm Ambrey. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the crew members. The Houthi military spokesman stated that the strike was direct and led to the ship's burning.

China called for an end to "harassment" of civilian vessels in the Red Sea on Friday after attacks on ships by Huthi rebels in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Huthi aggression against vessels in and around the Red Sea has led to retaliatory strikes in Yemen by U.S. and British forces.

In a startling development that has further heightened tensions in the already volatile Red Sea region, a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile successfully struck a US-owned and operated cargo ship, the Gibraltar Eagle, as announced by US Central Command in a statement reported by CNN.

Sustained attacks by Yemen's Houthis on vessels using Red Sea shipping lanes could have a "substantial" impact on economies and a knock-on effect on prices, a key Cypriot shipping industry group said on Thursday.

Iran's navy seized St Nikolas, the oil tanker associated with the Greek shipping company Empire Navigation, on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman, Iranian media reported.  The oil tanker was once at the center of a major crisis between Tehran and Washington, officials said, a seizure that further escalated tensions in the Mideast waterways.

An oil tanker once at the center of a crisis between Iran and the United States was boarded in the Gulf of Oman by "unauthorized" people in military uniforms early on Thursday morning, an advisory group run by the British military and a private security firm warned.

American and British forces shot down 18 drones and three missiles Tuesday that were launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels toward international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, the U.S. military said.

They cited four knowledgeable officials who asked to remain anonymous.
The portal says that some officials in Washington believe that the war in Gaza has escalated far beyond the borders of the Strip, a scenario that the US has been trying to avoid for months.

On Wednesday the US and a host of international allies warned that Iran-backed Houthi militants will face "consequences" if they continue to "threaten lives" and disrupt trade in the Red Sea. Earlier this week, what's become an increasingly volatile crisis gained a new dimension as Iran sent a warship to the region, escalating tensions.

Spain said on Sunday that it would not join a U.S. led coalition to protect Red Sea shipping from attacks by Yemen's Huthi rebels.

The Iran-backed Huthis have carried out several strikes on Red Sea shipping in what they say is in support of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.