Indian-flagged ship attacked in Red Sea

An Indian-flagged crude oil tanker M/V SAIBABA was hit by a one-way attack drone in the Red Sea on December 23 but there were no injuries.

"The USS LABOON (DDG 58) was patrolling in the Southern Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) and shot down four unmanned aerial drones originating from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen that were inbound to the USS LABOON. There were no injuries or damage in this incident," the U.S. Central Command said in a post on X.

"At approximately 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Naval Forces Central Command received reports from two ships in the Southern Red Sea that they were under attack. The M/V BLAAMANEN, a Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker, reported a near miss of a Houthi one-way attack drone with no injuries or damage reported."

The USS LABOON (responded to the distress calls from these attacks. These attacks represent the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since October 17, the update added.

The Red Sea attack follows an earlier attack on MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea, which was sailing to Mangalore from Saudi Arabia.

"Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram escorting merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea towards Mumbai in the morning today,” ANI quoted Indian Coast Guard officials in its update on X. “The merchant ship hit by a drone yesterday had requested to be escorted by the ICGS Vikram. ICG Dorniers are also airborne to keep an eye on the merchant vessels and carry out surveillance in the area.”

The incident took place 200 nautical miles south-west of the city of Veraval in India's Gujarat state, according to United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

A drone launched from Iran had struck the chemical tanker, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, CNBC reported.

After Maersk announced rescheduling plans, here's what Lars Jensen said in his LinkedIn post: "For simplicity it can be boiled down to all services going around Africa until Chinese New Year in February 2024."

Jensen, in his latest update, says: "The major container carriers continue to have a few large vessels transit the Bab al-Mandeb strait. CMA CGM vessels under escort by a French warship. The French ministry of defense have furthermore stated that their vessels will not be under US command in the coalition sending warships to the region. "

"OPG to act as highway patrol"
It's very important to understand that the Houthis aren't attacking just one country, they're really attacking the international community," U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said at a Pentagon news conference last week.

"They are attacking the economic well-being and prosperity of nations around the world. So in effect, they really become bandits along the international highway that is the Red Sea."

The forces assigned to OPG will serve the highway patrol in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden "to respond to and assist as necessary commercial vessels that are transiting this vital international waterway," Ryder said. "It's a defensive coalition meant to reassure global shipping and mariners that the international community is there to help with safe passage.

"Last thing I'd say on this is that the Houthis need to stop these attacks, and they need to stop them now. That's clear and simple. They really need to ask themselves if they've bitten off more than they can chew when it comes to taking on the entire international community and negatively impacting billions and billions, billions of dollars in global trade, economic prosperity and international law."