Situation in the Red Sea

[TruckDriver9]

While most people in this country are struggling to put food on the table and a roof over their heads, our taxes and resources got to satan's army so they can defend Israel's desire to genocide the native people of the Levant.

Clown world galore.
Playing defense with the OPG failed, playing offense with the OPA failed, so now lets try a naval blockade - third time's the charm?

 

[TruckDriver9]

At least the Indian Navy is doing some job, they're in pursuit of "Ruen" - a bulk carrier hijacked by the Somali pirates back in December. Since then, the vessel have been used as a mother ship, from which Somalis carried out attacks far off the coast.

Indian Navy shadows hijacked Ruen to stop pirates prowling for other targets

India claims to have foiled any attempt to use the 41,600-dwt Ruen (built 2016) as a base for further hijackings

www.tradewindsnews.com

For those looking into Israeli connection: the ship's owner Navibulgar, has a history of doing business with Israel, and while the "Ruen" itself was not sailing to, or from Israel at the time of the hijacking, it's twin vessel "Rojen" was frequently making port calls in Israel, including in October when the war erupted. So the Ruen's hijacking was not purely coincidental.

Indian Navy successfully freed the "Ruen" and its crew from the Somali pirates.

The Indian Navy has scored a dramatic victory against resurgent Somali piracy by cornering a Navibulgar ship under the control of hijackers and rescuing all 17 crew members, who had been held hostage for months. The navy’s spokesperson said on X that in a 40-hour operation, the warship INS Kolkata cornered the 41,600-dwt Ruen (built 2016) and coerced all 35 pirates to surrender.
(...)
There were no injuries in the operation, and all crew members were safe.

Cornered pirates surrender as Indian Navy rescues 17 hostage seafarers from hijacked Ruen

After hijackers apparently repurpose Navibulgar bulker into pirate ship, 40-hour operation wrests back control

www.tradewindsnews.com

 

[TruckDriver9]

This week starts with a close miss on a Marshall-Islands flagged, Greek owned and operated LPG carrier "Mado".

A missile fired at the Marshall-Islands flagged 84,100-cbm Mado (built 2015) on Sunday came within 200m of hitting the Naftomar-operated ship, the Combined Maritime Forces’ Joint Information Center said in a statement. The incident happened 85 nautical miles south-east of Aden, the home of Yemen’s exiled government.
None of the crew were hurt and the ship continued its journey.

Houthis target Greek-owned VLGC in latest Gulf of Aden missile strike

Missile landed just 200m from the ship, maritime forces reported

www.tradewindsnews.com

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Meanwhile the US forces continue their strikes in Yemen.

On March 18, between 1:00 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. (Sanaa time) United States Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully engaged and destroyed seven anti-ship missiles, three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and three weapons storage containers in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen in self-defense. It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region.
These actions are taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.

 

[TruckDriver9]

Reportedly, Houthis will grant safe passage for Russian and Chinese ships sailing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in exchange for political support.

The Yemen-based Houthis have told China and Russia their ships can sail through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden without being attacked, according to several people with knowledge of the militant group’s discussions.
China and Russia reached an understanding following talks between their diplomats in Oman and Mohammed Abdel Salam, one of the Houthis’ top political figures, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing private matters.
In exchange, the two countries may provide political support to the Houthis in bodies such as the United Nations Security Council, according to the people. It’s not entirely clear how that support would be manifested, but it could include blocking more resolutions against the group.

Houthis Agree to Give China and Russia Ships a Pass in Red Sea

(Bloomberg) — The Yemen-based Houthis have told China and Russia their ships can sail through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden without being attacked, according to several people with...

gcaptain.com

 

[Samseau]

Reportedly, Houthis will grant safe passage for Russian and Chinese ships sailing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, in exchange for political support.

Houthis Agree to Give China and Russia Ships a Pass in Red Sea

(Bloomberg) — The Yemen-based Houthis have told China and Russia their ships can sail through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden without being attacked, according to several people with...

gcaptain.com

Yep, and this makes blockading Iran virtually impossible.

Iran can just give arms to China, and ship it into Yemen with Chinese ships.

If American fires on Chinese ships it will be bedlam.

 

[TruckDriver9]

Yep, and this makes blockading Iran virtually impossible.

Iran can just give arms to China, and ship it into Yemen with Chinese ships.

If American fires on Chinese ships it will be bedlam.

If this deal is confirmed, ultimately with the return of major Chinese shipping companies to the area, then we should pack our toys because we are done. China will monopolize the Europe-Asia trade. Sure some European shipping companies, like the French CMA CGM, will occasionally sail under escort through the Red Sea, but for other players it will be far more beneficial to either use the Chinese to ferry their goods for them, or re-register their ships, or even companies, under the Chinese flag - with all the revenue that it entails going into Beijing's coffers.
And there's more to it than just the economy, all of this will have geopolitical consequences: if a Chinese flag alone, offers more security than a US carrier group then what good are the American security guarantees worth ? If we can not stop Houthis from stifling commerce in the Red Sea, then what we are supposed to do if one day the Chinese Navy decides to blockade Taiwan ?

 

[Rax Moscow]

All modern wars are economic wars.

This news is far more impactful than if the Chinese sunk an American carrier.
This is huge.

I don't even dislike China. They are essentially just operating things on behalf of the Chinese people and trying to expand their trade and sell things all around the world, without forcing them to do buttsex or any other weird cultural custom. But this is another hard jab to the GAE giant who is going to fall. (And if you do dislike China, you too should be mad at America because it was America who dislodged the natural regional hedgemon, Japan (to this day under military occupation), and allowed and encouraged Chinese dominance).

An economic victory is worth 1,000 battlefield victories.

 

[Cooper]

If this deal is confirmed, ultimately with the return of major Chinese shipping companies to the area, then we should pack our toys because we are done. China will monopolize the Europe-Asia trade. Sure some European shipping companies, like the French CMA CGM, will occasionally sail under escort through the Red Sea, but for other players it will be far more beneficial to either use the Chinese to ferry their goods for them, or re-register their ships, or even companies, under the Chinese flag - with all the revenue that it entails going into Beijing's coffers.
And there's more to it than just the economy, all of this will have geopolitical consequences: if a Chinese flag alone, offers more security than a US carrier group then what good are the American security guarantees worth ? If we can not stop Houthis from stifling commerce in the Red Sea, then what we are supposed to do if one day the Chinese Navy decides to blockade Taiwan ?

Once again, the main Houthi condition for restoring traffic through their straight is for Israel to allow the 1,000 food trucks into Gaza and end the famine siege on 2M civilians.

That is it.

 

[TruckDriver9]

Once again, the main Houthi condition for restoring traffic through their straight is for Israel to allow the 1,000 food trucks into Gaza and end the famine siege on 2M civilians.

That is it.

Nah, that would be too easy, instead let's have the Army build a floating pier and ship food from Cyprus.

 

[TruckDriver9]

In other news: Danish Navy published a video from one of the drone interceptions:


But, as it turned out, the "Iver Huitfeldt" frigate suffered multiple system failures and will have to sail back to Denmark.

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Danish Frigate Suffered Radar, Combat System, Gun Problems During Red Sea Ops: Reports

A Danish frigate downed four Houthi drones during a recent Red Sea deployment, but suffered major issues with its weapons and other systems.

www.twz.com

 

[Helmsman]

But, as it turned out, the "Iver Huitfeldt" frigate suffered multiple system failures and will have to sail back to Denmark.

These actions in the Red Sea are fantastic for testing AAW systems. Since WWII the only major naval war has been the Falklands War which gave the world the first large-scale taste of missile warfare. Since then there has not been a chance to test the integration of missile and radar systems in sustained combat.

 

[It_Is_My_Time]

LOL

 

[TruckDriver9]

After a period of calm, Houthis are back to launching attacks on commercial vessels - over the weekend they fired missiles at 3 ships: a British owned, Marshall Island flagged container ship "Hope Island", and two MSC owned container ships "MSC Gina" and "MSC Grace". None of the missiles have reached its target.

Houthis Back to Attacking Ships After Brief Pause

By Charlotte Goldstone (The Loadstar) – The past week has seen an increase in attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, and a Houthi spokesperson has sparked fears of the ‘danger...

gcaptain.com

At the same time, US forces continue to strike Yemen, while coalition forces reported shooting down one of the Houthi's missiles.

Between approximately 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. (Sanaa time) on April 6, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed one mobile surface-to air missile system in Houthi controlled territory of Yemen. CENTCOM forces also shot down one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the Red Sea.
Additionally, at approximately 6:00 p.m. (Sanaa time), a Coalition vessel detected and successfully engaged and destroyed one inbound anti-ship missile.

 

[Pointy Elbows]

Report that the US offered many concessions to the Houthis, in effort to open the Red Sea. The Houthis have apparently declined, sticking to their original demands that Israel stop the Gaza offensive.

Prosperity Guardian's many member states have made an offer and now are rejected - by the lowly Houthis.

 

[TruckDriver9]

Houthis are back at it. During the last 24 hours they've launched a series of attacks:
- They've targeted a US flagged container ship "Maersk Yorktown" in the Gulf of Aden with an anti-ship missile, but the US Navy escort was able to intercept it.
- The MSC "Veracruz", a Portuguese flagged, but linked to Israel, vessel was attacked by drones in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somalia. A miss was reported.
- They also claim to attack one of US Navy warships in the Red Sea, with drones, but no details were given.

A Houthi spokesperson late today claimed responsibility reporting they had targeted two vessels, the Maersk Yorktown (28,900 dwt) a U.S.-flagged containership operated by Maersk Line Ltd., which operates under contract to the U.S. military, and the MSC Veracruz (68,000 dwt). The MSC vessel is registered in Portugal. The Houthis are again attributing the MSC vessel as an "Israeli ship" while saying a U.S. warship was also involved in today's attacks. UKMTO so far has only reported one distant explosion.
U.S. Centcom later confirmed that it intercepted one anti-ship ballistic missile launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen over the Gulf of Aden that was likely targeting the Maersk Yorktown, which they described as "a U.S.-flagged, owned, and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crewmembers." They also confirmed that coalition forces engaged and destroyed four airborne unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

Houthis Target Maersk and MSC Vessels as They Vow to Renew Attacks

Security services received reports of an explosion near an unidentified vessel today in the Red Sea. It is the first acknowledged report in days and...

maritime-executive.com

Why the Houthi attacks became so rare lately ? The Red Sea is no longer a target rich environment - very few western ships sail those waters these days. And the Houthi's ability to target ships in the Indian Ocean is limited by their lack of ISR capabilities.

 

[TruckDriver9]

1. "Andromeda Star" - a Panama flagged, Seychelles operated tanker (UK owned, up until recently) reported a near miss of missiles, and suffered minor damage in the Red Sea.

“The Master has reported two attacks. The first attack, the vessel experienced an explosion in close proximity to the vessel, which was felt by the crew on board,” UKMTO said in an advisory note.
“Subsequently, the second attack on the vessel, consisted of what is believed to be two missiles, which resulted in damage to the vessel,” UKMTO added.

UKMTO: Ship Damaged in Missile Attack in Red Sea

Update: Yemen’s Houthis targeted the Panama-flagged tanker Andromeda Star with an anti-ship missile in the Red Sea. The ship reported minor damage but is continuing its voyage, according to the...

gcaptain.com

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2. Houthis shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone - 3rd one since November.

3 U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones, worth about $30 million each, have crashed in or near Yemen since November

A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper has crashed in Yemen. It may be the third $30 million drone shot down by the Houthis since November.

www.cbsnews.com

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3. The USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier left the Red Sea and sailed to the Eastern Mediterranean.

After almost four months on station in the Red Sea, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and USS Gravely (DDG-107) transited the Suez Canal on Friday, the Navy announced. Ike, the flagship of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, and Gravely are now in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to a news release from U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa. It is unclear how long the two ships will remain in the Med.
(...)
The release did not include the locations of USS Mason (DDG-87) and USS Philippine Sea (CG-58), the other destroyer and cruiser that make up the Ike CSG. Like Gravely, Mason has shot down a number of Houthi missiles and drones as part of the U.S. response in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The last time Ike made a port call it was four months ago in Bahrain ahead of its shift to the Red Sea in late December. Ike is expected to be replaced by the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, which was in the Western Atlantic conducting an exercise, as of Monday, according to USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker.

Carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Now in the Mediterranean Sea - USNI News

After almost four months on station in the Red Sea, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and USS Gravely (DDG-107) transited the Suez Canal on Friday, the Navy announced. Ike, the flagship of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, and Gravely are now in the Eastern Mediterranean, according...

news.usni.org

 

[TruckDriver9]

1. During the past two days, Houthis launched several missiles and drones in the Red Sea. Coalition forces reported successful interceptions, but at least one drone was able to hit the "Cyclades" - a Maltese flagged, Greek owned bulk carrier - causing minor damage to the ship.
For the first time, Houthis released a video from the kamikaze drone.

Houthis Release Video of Alleged UAV Attack on Bulk Carrier

A new video released by the Iranian-backed Houthis appears to show an attack on a Maltese-flagged bulk carrier in the Red Sea on Monday. The footage, which has not been...

gcaptain.com

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2. MSC "Orion" a Portuguese flag ged container ship operated by the Swiss-Italian giant MSC, but owned, through intermediaries, by an Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, was attacked by a drone in the Indian Ocean on April 26.

The attack, which took place on the night of April 26, targeted the Portugal-flagged containership MSC Orion, reportedly targeted due to its affiliation with Israel. The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Joint Maritime Information Center (JIMC) reports that the vessel sustained minor damage, and all crew members are safe.

Houthis Attack Commercial Ship in the Indian Ocean

Maritime authorities are reporting that a MSC containership sustained minor damage from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the Indian Ocean approximately 300 nautical miles southeast of the Horn of...

gcaptain.com

 

[TruckDriver9]

1. Iran released the crew of "MSC Aries", a container ship owned, through intermediaries, by an Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, seized by Iran near the Strait of Hormuz on April 13.

Iran has freed the crew of the MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company-managed container ship that it hijacked last month. Foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said the captain and the remaining 23 other seafarers would be allowed to leave the country.
(..)
The crew consists of 17 other Indians, four Filipinos and others from Estonia, Pakistan and Russia.

Iran releases crew of seized MSC and Zodiac-linked container ship in ‘humanitarian act’

Foreign minister says captain and seafarers are free to return home, but vessel will remain

www.tradewindsnews.com

The crew of "Galaxy Leader", hijacked by the Houthis in November, still remains in captivity.

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2. European operation "Aspides" isn't doing so great, they've got just 3 ships left in the Red Sea, and would need 10 warships, as well as aerial reconnaissance, to secure the shipping lanes.

Greek rear admiral Vasileios Gryparis, the mission's operational commander, warned in a confidential meeting in Brussels with EU diplomatic representatives last week that he would only have three frigates available for the next few months.
This would mean that he would no longer be able to fully fulfill the mission of protecting ships from attacks by pro-Iranian rebels. According to statements attributed to Gryparis from the German weekly, the mission would now only be able to escort a maximum of four merchant ships per day through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, off the Yemeni coast. According to the rear admiral, however, at least ten warships and air support from a drone or reconnaissance aircraft would be needed.

Red Sea, 'Spiegel': After the withdrawal of the German frigate, the Aspides mission needs more ships

Red Sea, 'Spiegel': After the withdrawal of the German frigate, the Aspides mission needs more ships Read all the latest news in real time on Agenzia Nova

www.agenzianova.com

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3. How to sail safely through the Red Sea ? Shadow a Chinese ship, and hope that Houthis won't risk hitting it by accident.

The idea is simple: vulnerable multinational commercial vessels would closely shadow Chinese ships as they transit safely past Houthi missile launchers in a convoy-type operation. The Houthis, knowing their targeting is lacking, would refrain from shooting lest they accidentally hit a Chinese ship and anger both Beijing and Tehran.

To Safely Transit the Red Sea, Shadow a Chinese Ship

[By Clay Robinson]It was a sunny morning with calm seas on March 6, 2024, a fine day for sailing the tranquil waters of the Gulf of Aden. The crew of...

maritime-executive.com

 

[TruckDriver9]

Following the Israeli offensive in Rafah, Houthis threaten to expand the range of their attacks and target ships in the Eastern Mediterranean.


In anticipation, the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier sailed back to the Red Sea.

Carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Back in Red Sea, Passes 200-Day Deployment Mark - USNI News

Aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is back in the Red Sea and has been deployed for more than 200 days, according to USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker data. Ike transited the Suez Canal late last month, moving into the Mediterranean Sea after operating in the Red Sea for almost...

news.usni.org

 

[TruckDriver9]

2. Houthis shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone - 3rd one since November.

3 U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones, worth about $30 million each, have crashed in or near Yemen since November

A U.S. MQ-9 Reaper has crashed in Yemen. It may be the third $30 million drone shot down by the Houthis since November.

www.cbsnews.com

4th Reaper down.