Despite the deal with the Houthis, a recent clash between Yemeni militants and an oil tanker shows that danger remains.

Although China and Russia recently reached a historic agreement with the Houthis on the safety of their ships passing through the Red Sea, a recent clash between Yemeni militants and an oil tanker shows that risks remain. Bloomberg writes about this.

The publication recalls that the two countries, which are major consumers and producers of oil, received guarantees of safe passage through the region after negotiations between their diplomats and Mohammed Abdel Salam, one of the leading political figures of the group based in Yemen. Previously, the Iran-backed group had attacked several commercial and military vessels in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

“In exchange, countries could provide political support to the Houthis in bodies such as the United Nations Security Council. … This could include blocking additional decisions against the group. However, this past weekend showed that even vessels linked to Russia or China are not are completely safe,” the article says.

Thus, on Saturday, the Houthis fired four rockets in the area of ​​the Chinese oil tanker Huang Pu. Earlier this month, the True Confidence, a cargo and passenger ship, was attacked, causing the first deaths since maritime attacks began in mid-November.

However, the latest talks offer some reassurance to Moscow and Beijing. Many Western merchant ships have been forced to take the longer route around Africa instead of the Red Sea and Suez Canal, adding days and significant freight costs. Companies from China and Russia have not announced, that they are avoiding the Red Sea, and ship tracking data shows that many are still sending their ships through it,” the publication summarizes.

Attacks on ships in the Red Sea

Recently, a ship sank for the first time in the Red Sea after an attack by the Yemeni Houthis. It transported 41 thousand tons of fertilizers.

The attack on the Rubimar took place on February 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

After suffering severe damage, the ship drifted north uncontrollably and subsequently sank, the Yemeni government said.

At the end of January, missiles exploded near a ship carrying Russian oil near Yemen. This comes just days after a Houthi spokesman told RosSMI that Russian and Chinese merchant ships should not fear attacks.