India-bound crude oil tanker M/V Saibaba hit by Houthi drone strike in Red Sea

New Delhi: A Gabbon-flagged vessel MV Saibaba has also suffered a drone attack in Red Sea, Indian Navy officials informed. It has 25 Indian crew members on board who are safe. It is not an Indian-flagged vessel, y clarified. 

In Red Sea, an India-bound crude oil tanker was struck by an attack drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels. M/V Saibaba, a Gabon-flagged tanker carrying Indians, reported no injuries but raised a distress call to a US ship in region.

US Central Command said in a statement that on December 23, two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles were fired into international shipping lanes in Sourn Red Sea from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

attack happened about 10:30 p.m. (IST) yesterday, only hours after anor tanker was attacked off coast of India, which US blamed on Iran.

Two ships h reported an attack to a US naval ship patrolling in sourn Red Sea. According to US Navy, one of m, Norwegian-flagged and owned chemical tanker M/V Blaamanen, claimed a near miss with a Houthi drone.

According to US Navy, between 3 and 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), USS LABOON (DDG 58) was patrolling in Sourn Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) and shot down four unmanned aerial drones that were inbound to USS LABOON from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. This incident resulted in no injuries or property damage.

At around 8 p.m. (Sanaa time), US Naval Forces Central Command received indications that two ships in Sourn Red Sea were being attacked.

USS LABOON (DDG 58) responded to se attacks' distress calls.

Norwegian-flagged, owned, and operated chemical/oil tanker M/V BLAAMANEN reported a near miss with a Houthi one-way attack drone, with no injuries or damage reported.

According to US Central Command, se are 14th and 15th strikes on commercial vessels by Houthi terrorists since October 17.

For several weeks, Iran-aligned Houthis have disrupted global tre by attacking ships travelling through Bab al-Mandab Strait in what y claim is retaliation for Israel's conflict in Gaza.

Concerns have been raised about impact of attacks on flow of oil, grain, and or goods on what is a major global commerce route. incidents have also pushed up  prices of insuring and shipping cargo across Red Sea.

This is a developing story, furr details are awaited.