US destroys Houthi boats and drones in Red Sea

On June 21, the US military announced that it had destroyed four ships and two drones of the Houthi forces in Yemen, after the force conducted a series of attacks on ships in the Red Sea in recent times.

On social network X, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the incident did not cause any casualties or damage to ships passing through the Red Sea.

The US military action comes after the Greek cargo ship Tutor was attacked twice on June 12 and sank in the Red Sea on June 18.

Since November 2023, Houthi forces have used drones and missiles to attack ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, claiming this action is to show solidarity with Palestinians in the conflict between Israel and the Hamas Islamic Movement in the Gaza Strip.

The attacks have sent insurance costs for ships passing through the Red Sea soaring, forcing many shipping companies to switch to a longer route around the southern tip of Africa.

In that context, for the first time since January this year, a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker has sailed through the Red Sea.

According to ship tracking data from LSEG and Kpler, the vessel, Asya Energy, flying the flag of the Republic of Palau, passed through the Bab al-Mandab Strait on June 18. It had previously docked at the port of Sohar in Oman.

It is not yet clear which company is chartering the vessel. However, data from the shipowner information system Equasis shows that Nur Global Shipping is the ship management company Asya Energy, which is owned by Lule One Services.

Both companies are based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. According to LSEG analyst Olumide Ajayi, Asya Energy is the first LNG vessel to pass through the strait since January 2024.

Shipping companies have been unable to deploy LNG tanker routes through the Red Sea due to the unstable security situation in this sea area.