Indian vessel attacked near Yemen, capsized and sank
India is in the crosshairs: the vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya was hit while sailing in the Red Sea. All 14 crew members, mostly Indian nationals, were rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard. New Delhi's Minister of Shipping condemned the incident as an "unjustified attack on an undefended vessel."
An Indian vessel was attacked this Tuesday evening near the coast of Yemen, capsized, and sank. India's Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, stated that the vessel MSV Faize Noore Oliya was hit by an unidentified projectile. All 14 crew members were rescued by the Yemeni Coast Guard and evacuated to the port city of Mocha in the Red Sea.
"India strongly condemns this unjustified attack on an undefended vessel," he said. "The safety of our people is our top priority." According to the minister, 13 of the 14 crew members are Indian citizens. "I have directed the Director General of Shipping to take immediate steps in coordination with all agencies to ensure the absolute safety of Indian sailors in the region and to provide all necessary assistance to the rescued crew."
The Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi also condemned the attack, stating: "Our embassy in Riyadh is closely monitoring the situation and is actively coordinating with the authorities in Yemen to ensure the safety and well-being of the crew members. We thank the authorities in Yemen for their support. The ongoing incidents of attacks on commercial shipping in the region are very concerning. The targeting of commercial shipping must stop, and freedom of navigation in international waterways must be restored as soon as possible, in accordance with international law."
Parallel to the mutual strikes between the USA and Iran in the Middle East, tensions with the Houthis have escalated in recent weeks. Iran's partners, who hold large parts of Yemen, have imposed a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and have attacked tankers and vessels in the region, as well as targets within Saudi Arabia. Riyadh, for its part, has bombed Houthi targets in Yemen on several occasions.
Last week, the British newspaper The Guardian reported, citing sources in Yemen, that Saudi Arabia appears to be concentrating forces for a potential ground offensive on Al-Bayda, a province in south-central Yemen captured by the Houthis about five years ago. Sources believe that Saudi Arabia is preparing for a large-scale military offensive, including from the sea, in a move intended to break the blockade on its oil exports in the Red Sea. According to the report, Saudi forces appear to be withdrawing from eastern Yemen in preparation for a ground offensive.
At the same time, Riyadh is organizing a maritime coalition to protect ship traffic from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The Saudi Ministry of Defense stated on Thursday that 14 countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, and Djibouti, issued a joint statement supporting a multinational maritime defense coalition.
On July 20, the Houthis announced a blockade on Saudi ships, which they vowed to lift only if Riyadh lifts its blockade on Yemen. Alongside the blockade, the Houthis have carried out attacks against Saudi Arabia itself, including on the national oil company Aramco. On July 25, the Houthis claimed to have hit sensitive oil transport sites within the kingdom that connect the oil fields of its Eastern Province to the export hub in the Red Sea. The attacks were carried out from Iraqi territory, and Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with the USA, attacked Shiite militias in the country in response. Saudi Arabia has also targeted locations in Yemen in recent weeks, including the port of Hodeidah.
