US Adds Sanctions on Suppliers of Houthis

 The US Department of the Treasury published on 28 April 2025 a press release titled "Treasury Targets Vessels Delivering Oil Derivatives to the Houthis."

The Treasury Department sanctioned three vessels and their owners for providing petroleum products to the Houthis in Yemen. The vessels are registered in the Marshall Islands or Mauritius and fly the flags of San Marino or Panama.  

The US Department of the Treasury published on 2 April 2025 a press release titled "Treasury Sanctions Houthi Network Procuring Weapons and Commodities from Russia."

These earlier sanctions targeted a network of Houthi financial facilitators in collaboration with operatives in Russia for procuring tens of millions of dollars' worth of commodities from Russia, including weapons and stolen Ukranian grain.  

Yemen's Houthi Rebels Target Greek Ships

 Reuters published on 3 October 2024 an article titled "Houthis' Email Alert to Red Sea Ships: Prepare for Attack, with Best Regards" by Renee Maltezou and Jonathan Saul. 

Yemen's Houthi rebels sent on 2 October to at least six Greek shipping companies an email warning that their ships travelling through the Red Sea are at risk of attack, as if they did not already know that.  The Houthis have conducted about 100 attacks on ships in the Red Sea, sunk two, and seized another.  Almost 30 percent of the attacks have been against Greek ships.  The Houthis claim they are only attacking ships with ties to Israel, the United States, and United Kingdom, although this is clearly not the case.  

The Associated Press published on 1 October 2024 an article titled "Yemen's Houthi Rebels Launch Drone Boat that Hits Ship in Red Sea as Missile Strikes Another" by Jon Gambrell.

The Houthis attacked and hit with a drone boat on 1 October a Panamanian-flagged vessel in the Red Sea and fired a missile at a Liberian-flagged ship.

Houthi Attack Disables Ship in Red Sea That Restores Power

The Associated Press published on 18 May 2024 an article titled "Yemen's Houthi Rebels Launch a Missile that Strikes an Oil Tanker in the Red Sea, US Military Says" by Jon Gambrell. 

Houthi rebels launched a ballistic missile that hit a Panama-flagged, Greek owned oil tanker in the Red Sea.  It may have been carrying oil from Russia to China.  The ship lost propulsion and steering although the crew was able to restore power and resume course.  

Iran-backed Houthis Strike Chinese-owned Ship in Red Sea

 The Hindustan Times published on 24 March 2024 an article titled "Houthi Rebels Burn Chinese Ship in Rare Strike on 'Friendly' Nation's Vessel in Red Sea."

Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired 6 ballistic missiles at the M/V Huang Pu, a Panamanian-flagged, Chinese-owned, and Chinese-operated oil tanker in the Red Sea.  US naval forces shot down 5 of the incoming missiles but one hit the ship, causing a small fire.  

Hong Kong's The Standard published on 24 March 2024 an article titled "Chinese-owned Tanker Hit by Houthi Missile in Red Sea: CENTCOM," which contains additional information on the attack.  

Comment:  The Houthis have said repeatedly that they will not attack ships of their friends--Russia and China--in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.  It is not surprising, however, that the Houthis finally attacked a Chinese-owned ship.  The Houthis cannot possibly properly identify all of the ships in the Red Sea that fly flags of numerous countries and are owned and operated by other countries.  But with "friends" like the Houthis, who needs enemies.  

China Competes with Kenya and Five Others for Head of International Maritime Organization

 Lloyd's List published on 3 April 2023 an article titled "IMO Leadership Race Wide Open as China and Finland Vie for Power" by Richard Meade.

The International Maritime Organization will hold an election in July for the position of secretary general to head the group.  Candidates from China, Kenya, Turkiye, Bangladesh, Panama, Dominica, and Finland are seeking the position.