A 20-year-old panamax bulk carrier belonging to NASDAQ-listed Star Bulk became the latest Houthi target today. The Star Iris was shot at twice in the space of 20 minutes by missiles while transiting the Bab al Mandab strait in a southeast direction.
was shot at twice in the space of 20 minutes by missiles while transiting the Bab al Mandab strait in a southeast direction.AIS data from MarineTraffic shows the ship departed from Vila do Conde port in Brazil on January 12 and was heading to the port of Bandar Imam Khomeini in Iran.
Maritime security specialists Ambrey report the panamax sustained physical damage on its starboard side. No crew were reported injured.
“The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces targeted the American ship Star Iris in the Red Sea with a number of suitable naval missiles, and the strikes were accurate and direct,” read a statement issued today by the Houthis.
The attack is the 51st on merchant ships since the start of November when the Houthis from Yemen decided to side with the Palestinians in their ongoing war with Israel.
The strike, which took place early this morning, was the first reported attack for six days in the dangerous Red Sea area.
On February 6, another Star Bulk vessel, the Star Nasia kamsarmax, suffered minor damage when three missiles were fired at it.
Speaking with Splash two weeks ago, Arsenio Dominguez, the new secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), called for a “multi-faceted” solution to the ongoing Red Sea shipping crisis.
“The solution has to be multi-faceted: enhanced ship security; a cessation of hostile activity which targets innocent seafarers; and regional and international efforts to reach a peaceful resolution to the problem,” Dominguez said.
” heading to the port of Bandar Imam Khomeini in Iran.”
Bit of an own goal then.
Not sure how it was heading to Iran. It was hit on starboard side.
Travelling North, wouldn’t Starboard be the exposed side?
Houthis imposed sanctions on western fleet and customers. Seems, according to Marinetraffic, sanctions work well!
Same time: the British warship HMS Diamond arrived back in Gibraltar with fresh ‘kill marks’ on her flanks after a Red Sea mission to thwart Iran-backed rebel attacks.
So… Iran is the target of Houthi sanctions…
Not so sure that “sanctions work well”…
You are right. Sanctions never work well.
Probably, all that was created by somebody to create one more zone of chaos and weaken Europe even more.
Iran step on its tail when the vessel was targeted by thr Houthi, ots proxy.
Why the he’ll is American ships being hit and where the he’ll is the American Navey !!!! There supposed to be there protecting ships with ultra strong radar and bad ass missles. Why are they hiding out !!!!
Wibble.