A Portuguese-flagged container ship, the MSC Orion, was attacked by a drone in the Arabian Sea, around 375 miles off the coast of Yemen. The assault was claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, marking their first confirmed deep-sea attack since they began targeting ships in November. This incident suggests that the Houthis, or potentially their supporter Iran, have the capability to strike far into the Indian Ocean, as they have threatened to do in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The attack on the MSC Orion occurred last Friday, with the crew finding debris from a drone on board. Thankfully, the ship only sustained minor damage, and all crew members were reported to be safe. The ship was operating on behalf of the Mediterranean Shipping Co., a Naples-based firm affiliated with Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. The Joint Maritime Information Center believes the MSC Orion was targeted due to its perceived Israeli affiliation.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack on the MSC Orion, although the reasons for the delay in acknowledgment are unknown. The rebels primarily focus their attacks in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, all close to Yemen’s shoreline. Their ability to carry out an attack on a moving target hundreds of miles from their base raises questions about how they achieved this feat.
Iran, a supporter of the Houthis in Yemen, has been implicated in past attacks by the rebels, including the 2019 assault on Saudi Arabia’s oil fields that significantly impacted the kingdom’s energy production. Iranian state media supported the Houthis’ claim of attacking the MSC Orion, but Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to requests for comment. Houthi attacks on shipping in the region are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its offensive in Gaza.
Houthi attacks on shipping have resulted in over 50 incidents, including the seizure of one vessel and the sinking of another, since November. These actions have led to a decline in shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden due to the increased threat. While the rebels faced decreased attacks as a result of a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen, they have recently renewed their assault, with a drone attack on the Cyclades, a Malta-flagged bulk carrier, being among the latest incidents. The Houthis also claim to have shot down a U.S. military MQ-9 Reaper drone and released footage of the wreckage.
