Houthi missile hits Chinese owned tanker Huang Pu

Image: UKMTO

Casting more doubts on reports that the Houthis have done sort of a deal to not target Chinese (or Russian) ships, the Iranian-backed terrorist group on March 23 launched four anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) into the Red Sea in the vicinity of M/V Huang Pu, a Panamanian-flagged, Chinese-owned, Chinese-operated 115,449 dwt tanker.

According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), at 4:25 p.m. (Sanaa time), a fifth ballistic missile was detected as fired toward M/V Huang Pu. The ship issued a distress call but did not request assistance. M/V 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.

Between 6:50 and 9:50 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. forces, including USS Carney (DDG 64), engaged six Houthi unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the southern Red Sea. Five crashed into the Red Sea, and one flew inland into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

Earlier CENTCOM efforts to reduce the Houthi threat came on March 22, when between approximately 4:22 a.m. and 11:10 p.m. (Sanaa time), CENTCOM) forces engaged and destroyed four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in self-defense.

Additionally, CENTCOM forces conducted self-defense strikes against three Houthi underground storage facilities in Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen.