2024-01-01 21:58:00
Iran deployed the Alborz destroyer to the Red Sea (Europa Press/Contact/Iranian Army Office)
The Iranian warship Alborz entered the Red Sea through the strategic Bab al Mandeb Strait, the Tasnim news agency reported this Monday, at a time of intense tensions in this important waterway.
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“The destroyer Alborz entered the Red Sea (…) passing through Bab al Mandeb,” which separates the Horn of Africa from the Arabian Peninsula, Tasnim said, without specifying the reasons for the deployment.
He added that Iran’s naval fleet had been operating in the area “to secure sea routes, repel pirates, among other purposes since 2009.”
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In early December, the United States created a multinational naval task force for the Red Sea after a series of missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, allies of the Iranian regime, against merchant ships that forced companies shipping companies to suspend navigation in the area.
The Houthis claim the attacks were in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel is fighting the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas following the October 7 attacks on Israeli soil.
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Two months ago, the rebels began launching barrages of missiles and drones against southern Israel and also against ships flying the flag of the Jewish State or owned by Israeli companies in the Red Sea and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb.
There are more and more attacks by Houthi rebels against ships in the Red Sea (Houthi Military Media/Handout via REUTERS)
According to the International Chamber of Shipping, 12% of world trade passes through the Red Sea.
On Monday, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said his country was “ready to take direct action” against the Houthis “to deter threats to freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.”
The United States accused Iran of being “deeply involved” in the Houthi attacks. The Islamic Republic, however, denies the allegations and claims that the Houthi rebels were acting on their own.
In a statement, the military spokesman for the Yemen rebels, Yahya Sarea, announced that at least ten members of their ranks died this Sunday in the exchange of fire with Washington forces and also claimed responsibility for the action against the Maersk Hanzghou, flagged of Singapore, which was attacked near the port of Al Hodeida, one of the most important ports in Yemen.
The Maersk Hanzghou warned of two attacks in the Red Sea in less than 24 hours, which were attended by the naval coalition led by the United States and of which the United Kingdom is also a part.
The first occurred last night when the United States Naval Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that it had shot down two anti-ship missiles that were targeting the container ship and were launched from territory controlled by the insurgents.
But the trigger was in the early hours of this morning when four small boats approached the merchant ship to board it.
A Houthi military helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea (Houthi Military Media/Handout via REUTERS)
CENTCOM explained today in a lengthy statement that “at 6:30 a.m. local time (3:30 GMT), the container ship Maersk Hangzhou issued a second distress call in less than 24 hours reporting that it was under attack by four small Houthi vessels backed by Iran.” .
The United States Naval Forces indicated that after this exchange of fire, “American helicopters responded to the distress call and in the process of issuing verbal calls to the small boats, they fired at the American helicopters with crew weapons and light weapons.” .
The American helicopters “returned fire in self-defense, sinking three of the four small boats and killing their crews. The fourth boat fled the area. “No personal or material damage was caused,” CENTCOM concluded in the statement.
After having suspended transit through that area, the Danish shipping company Maersk decided a few days ago to resume its passage through the Red Sea when the United States announced the creation of the new naval coalition to defend international maritime security.
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