On January 26, local time, Yemen's Houthi rebels launched another shocking attack, pointing the finger at the British oil tanker "Marin Luanda" on the Red Sea route. The attack directly caused the oil tanker to catch fire and sink, and the news immediately triggered a shock in the global market, causing the global supply chain to be strained again. Brent crude oil prices rose quickly after the attack, with data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showing that bullish sentiment for WTI crude oil hit a new 11-week high.
1. Houthi missile attacks:
On January 26, local time, the Houthis claimed to have launched anti-ship ballistic missiles again, attacking a US destroyer "Carney" and a British oil tanker "Marin Luanda" in the Gulf of Aden. Despite the fact that "Carney" successfully intercepted the missile, "Marin Luanda" was hit directly by the missile, which caused the tanker to catch fire.
The Marin Luanda tanker was built in 2018 and is owned by Trafigura, the world's largest metals and oil trader. The tanker was carrying Russian naphtha, a detail that attracted a lot of attention. The attack also involved a tanker suspected to belong to India, but the Indian tanker was lucky not to be hit.
The ownership of oil tankers, the impact of the attack, the global energy market, economic pressure from Russia, and international cooperation have once again pushed the situation in the Middle East to a new stage.
When the oil tanker Marin Luanda was hit by a missile near the southern Yemeni port city of Aden, the hull immediately caught fire and the crew called for emergency help. The British Ministry of Defense announced that due to the uncontrollable fire, the crew of the tanker had abandoned ship and boarded the lifeboat, and was eventually rescued by the destroyer "Visakhapatnam" of the Indian Navy. However, due to the fire getting out of control, the tanker "Marin Luanda" is likely to sink, causing serious ecological pollution.
2. The reaction of the global market:
Brent crude oil prices rose quickly after the attack, with data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showing that bullish sentiment for WTI crude oil hit a new 11-week high. Supply chain data shows that the impact of this attack on the supply chain of the global market is second only to the blockage of the Suez Canal in March 2021, and the global economy, energy and supply chain have once again been hit by a huge shock.
The attack revealed the Houthi tactics of indiscriminate strikes against all merchant ships within range of their missiles. Despite rumors that the Houthis do not attack Russian and Chinese merchant ships, the fact is that the attacked "Marin Luanda" and the suspected Indian oil tanker were carrying Russian oil products. This shows that the Houthis are not limiting their targets to specific countries.
3. The Russian government's reticence:
In the aftermath of the attack, it is worth noting that the Russian government did not issue an official response. Previously, Russian energy facilities were attacked by suicide drones by Ukrainian forces, coupled with the escalating global sanctions, Russia is facing serious challenges in energy exports. In this regard, the Russian government's reticence may mean helplessness or other strategic considerations for its current predicament.
The blockage of the Red Sea route has not only had a direct impact on Russian oil exports, but has also thrown the global energy market into volatility again. One of the main factors in the recent reduction in Russian oil purchases by countries such as India is the attack, which has caused Russia to lose some share of the global market.
IV. Strategic Impact of the Event:
The actions of the Houthis have undoubtedly exacerbated geopolitical instability in the Red Sea region, and the global economy, trade and energy supply chains have once again been greatly impacted. The Russian government faces challenges on many fronts, and the Kremlin's huge military spending on the "special military operation" is a headache for the Kremlin. Supply chain shifts and geopolitical tensions on a global scale have all contributed to the strategic impact of this event.
The swift launch of emergency rescue operations by the UK's Maritime Trade Operations Office, the Indian Navy, and others underscored the importance of international cooperation in maritime safety and emergency rescue. This incident may prompt the international community to pay closer attention to the security of the Red Sea Route and to work together to develop more effective preventive measures.
Epilogue:
The Houthi missile attack on the Red Sea route not only caused huge waves in some areas, but also once again made the world see the problem of supply chain fragility. Russia faces major challenges in this geopolitical game, and the international community urgently needs to strengthen cooperation to maintain global trade and energy security.
The impact of this event will continue to ferment and become an important topic in international relations and geopolitics in the future. The Houthi attack is not only a geopolitical test, but also a direct threat to global trade and energy security.
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