The cargo ship was sunk in a Houthi drone strike

Five days after a deadly attack by pro-Iranian Yemeni Houthi militias on a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden, a heavily damaged cargo ship has run aground. The “MV Tutor”, which was hit by a drone last week, “has probably sunk”, British maritime authority UKMTO said on Tuesday evening. Accordingly, “Military officials reported that debris and oil were found at the last reported location.” A Filipino sailor was killed in the attack.

The Liberian-flagged and Greek-operated cargo ship was hit by a remote-controlled maritime drone and missile on June 12 southwest of the Houthi-held city of Hodeidah and then took on water. The ship was evacuated as part of a military operation on Friday. Since then the cargo ship has been floating in the sea.

The White House announced Monday that the sailor injured in the attack had died. A Sri Lankan crew member was seriously injured in a separate attack by the Houthis on the MV Verbena on Thursday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attacks on “M/V Verbena” and “M/V Tutor” on Saturday.

Iran-backed Islamist militants, who control much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November. He says he wants to support his ally Hamas in the Gaza Strip because of attacks on cargo ships bound for Israeli ports.

The Houthis consider themselves part of an “axis of resistance” directed against Israel and backed by Iran, which also includes Hamas and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

The United States and Great Britain have struck militant positions in Yemen in recent months in response to Houthi attacks on cargo ships along a vital trade route in the Red Sea. In addition, warships from two international coalitions are attempting to protect shipping off the coast of Yemen. The Bundeswehr was temporarily on site with the frigate “Hessen” as part of the EU naval mission “Aspites”.