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Yemen's Houthi rebels have sent their second freighter to the bottom of the Red Sea in four months.
Knewz.com has learned that the Greek-owned Liberian-flagged coal carrier was attacked by the rebels using missiles and a bomb-laden drone boat on June 12.
The United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) division of the Royal Navy, tasked with providing safe passage for non-military and freight vessels, confirmed that said freighter, the Tutor, was sunk.
In the notice on X, the agency wrote: “Military authorities report maritime debris and oil sighted in the last [the Tutor’s] reported location.”
While the United States has not confirmed the vessel’s sinking, President Joe Biden’s administration acknowledged the initial attack nearly a week after it occurred and reported that it had taken a life.
White House National Security Communications Advisor, John Kirby, told the press: “A few days ago, the Houthis attacked the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned-and-operated bulk cargo carrier, merchant vessel Tutor, killing a crew member who hailed from the Philippines.”
“The Tutor had just completed a port call in Russia and was bound for Egypt.”
Kirby corroborated an earlier report by the Associated Press that the Yemeni militants – who claimed to only target vessels with a connection to the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel – were attacking ships traversing the North African sea passage at random.
“She [the Tutor] had nothing whatsoever — nothing — to do with the conflict in Gaza,” Kirby said.
He went on to note that it was not the first ship the militants assaulted: “They also attacked the Palauan-flagged, Ukrainian-owned, Polish-operated motor vessel Verbena, critically wounding a crew member from Sri Lanka.”
The incursions prevail despite the ongoing U.S.-led Operation Prosperity Guardia.
According to a report by VOA, the multinational military deployment includes at least five warships along with additional naval assets and is reported to be experiencing a level of conflict second only to World War II.
The Associated Press claimed that these assaults occurred daily and have thus far “attacked commercial vessels at least 53 times and have posed risks to naval vessels in dozens.”
A document by the Congressional Research Service elaborated that U.S. elements in the area initially intercepted Houthi missiles and “interrupted” attempts by the rebels to seize vessels.
During one such incident—a search and seizure operation on a vessel carrying weapons from Iran and destined for the Houthi Rebels—two American servicemen lost their lives.
The ships dedicated to Operation Prosperity Guardia, are over and above another task force consisting of eight U.S. Naval vessels stationed in the area—which are tasked with preemptive action against perceived threats.
Starting on January 11, the US launched “self-defense strikes” against Yemeni “equipment ‘prepared to launch’ with said task force.
The Biden Administration has since confirmed to Congress that it executed three additional preemptive strikes on January 22, February 3, and February 24.
In addition to the latter, per Associated Press, a series of U.S. strikes were executed on May 30 again when (according to Houthi rebels) 16 people were killed while another 42 were injured.
