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Houthis Strike Chinese Tanker With Ballistic Missile Despite Their Agreement With China to Spare Their Ships
Red State ^ | 03/24/2024 | streiff

Posted on 03/24/2024 8:59:52 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Despite an agreement with China to give safe passage to all Chinese shipping in the Red Sea, the Houthis struck a Chinese ship with a ballistic missile on Saturday.

From 2:50 to 4:30 a.m. (Sanaa time) March 23, the Iranian-backed Houthis launched four anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) into the Red Sea in the vicinity of M/V Huang Pu, a Panamanian-flagged, Chinese-owned, Chinese-operated oil tanker.

At 4:25 p.m. (Sanaa time), a fifth ballistic missile was detected as fired toward M/V Huang Pu. The ship issued a distress call but did not request assistance. M/V Huang Pu suffered minimal damage, and a fire on board was extinguished within 30 minutes. No casualties were reported, and the vessel resumed its course. The Houthis attacked the M/V Huang despite previously stating they would not attack Chinese vessels.

5/5 The Houthis launched five anti-ship ballistic missiles targeting the Panamanian-flagged, Chinese-owned, and Chinese-operated oil tanker Huang Pu in the Red Sea on March 23.

Read the full report from ISW and our partners @criticalthreats: https://t.co/rXx8uDh3FO pic.twitter.com/jIPXzRReX7— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) March 24, 2024

Earlier today, my colleague Jeff Charles posted on an agreement inked days ago between the Houthis and the partnership of Russia and China to guarantee the safe passage of Russian and Chinese ships through the Red Sea.


BACKGROUND: The Houthis Just Made an Arrangement With China and Russia That May Reshape Security in the Red Sea


So what happened?

The underlying problem is that the Houthis lack the intelligence to identify which ships are which. In the case of the M/V Huang Pu, it was British-owned until September 2023.

Until late September 2023, the ship was registered with UK-based Union Maritime under the name of Anavatos II. As TradeWinds reported at the time, it was sold to undisclosed owners.

According to shipping data banks, the ship emerged in January as Taurus II under management of Hong Kong-based Ambra Ltd.

It is only since February that the ship is trading under its current name of Huang Pu under the management of another Hong Kong-based entity called Hera Gam Ltd.

Without access to accurate ship registration data, the Houthis can't keep their end of the bargain. As an aside, their agreement with the Russians is virtually nonsense. The Russian fleet is mostly under sanctions. Most Russian oil products are transferred to Greek-owned ships, which the Houthis consider fair game.

In addition to the information problem, the Houthis have a target acquisition problem. They rely heavily on AIS data, which can be edited by the ship or just turned off. The presence of US and allied warships makes it difficult for the Houthis to use surveillance drones. When ships enter the Gulf of Aden, they are shadowed by Iranian spy ships like the Behshad. These provide the Houthis with targeting information.


BACKGROUND: Houthis Launch Largest Attack So Far Targeting American-Flagged Merchant Ships With American Sailors 


This incident reveals that the agreement between the Houthis, Chinese, and Russians is more of a public relations exercise than anything likely to affect Houthi attacks in the Red Sea or Gulf of Aden.



TOPICS: Military/Veterans; Society
KEYWORDS: ccp; china; houthi; houthis; iran; redsea; shipping; terrorism; yemen

1 posted on 03/24/2024 8:59:52 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Maybe they’re Jewish Chinese…


2 posted on 03/24/2024 9:01:37 PM PDT by EEGator
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To: SeekAndFind
The underlying problem is that the Houthis lack the intelligence to identify which ships are which.

That statement is believable.

I doubt that the Houthis know the difference between ship and shinola.

3 posted on 03/24/2024 9:05:22 PM PDT by TigersEye (Our Republic is under seige by globalist Marxists. Hold fast!)
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To: EEGator

RE: Maybe they’re Jewish Chinese…

I know you’re jesting but estimates place the number of Jews in China around 2,500. This includes both descendants of the historic Kaifeng Jewish community and more recent expatriate communities. And no, they’re not into the shipping business.


4 posted on 03/24/2024 9:08:11 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Idiots.


5 posted on 03/24/2024 9:18:49 PM PDT by Fester Chugabrew (In a world of parrots and lemmings, be a watchdog.)
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To: SeekAndFind

They hit a moving ship BVR with one of 4 fired ballistic missiles?

Impressive.

Though somehow, I’m having deja vu (i.e., ‘Scuds’).


6 posted on 03/24/2024 9:22:22 PM PDT by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
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To: SeekAndFind

Just can’t trust a terrorist these days, can you?


7 posted on 03/24/2024 9:29:23 PM PDT by vpintheak (Sometimes you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug. )
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To: SeekAndFind

Frog, meet Scorpion.


8 posted on 03/24/2024 10:00:24 PM PDT by rottndog (What comes after America?)
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To: SeekAndFind

China will forgive them, and give them an added bonus to send those missiles at American ships.


9 posted on 03/24/2024 10:03:21 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
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To: TigersEye
I doubt that the Houthis know the difference between ship and shinola.

LOL 👍👍👍👍👍

10 posted on 03/24/2024 11:31:04 PM PDT by Mark17 (Retired USAF air traffic controller. Father of USAF Captain & pilot. Both bitten by the aviation bug)
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To: SeekAndFind

Oh oops. I hate it when that happens


11 posted on 03/25/2024 2:37:24 AM PDT by Nifster ( I see puppy dogs in the clouds )
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To: TigersEye

12 posted on 03/25/2024 2:58:04 AM PDT by outofsalt (If history teaches us anything, it's that history rarely teaches anything.)
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To: SeekAndFind

The chicoms will be Ho Ping mad now.


13 posted on 03/25/2024 3:04:31 AM PDT by Sirius Lee (Tonight on The Bickersons... )
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To: SeekAndFind

bkmk


14 posted on 03/25/2024 3:09:31 AM PDT by sauropod (Ne supra crepidam.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Wouldn’t it be interesting if it were the Chinese who take care of this problem?


15 posted on 03/25/2024 6:18:41 AM PDT by Salman (It's not a slippery slope if it was part of the program all along. )
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To: logi_cal869

One of five.


16 posted on 03/25/2024 9:31:11 PM PDT by Paul R. (Bin Laden wanted Obama killed so the incompetent VP, Biden, would become President!)
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