Following a drone attack on two vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi militants,?which included MV SAIBABA—a crude oil tanker with 25 Indian crew members—the Indian Navy confirmed on Sunday that all individuals on board are safe. Contrary to earlier claims by the US Central Command, the Navy clarified that the vessel was not India-flagged but carried the flag of Gabon.

The US Central Command had initially stated that one of the two targeted warships was Indian-flagged.

The incident marks the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi militants since October 17, CENTCOM said in its statement.

The attacks occurred at approximately 10:30 pm IST on December 23. They are part of a series of drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on the crucial Red Sea shipping lane, escalating since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.

Why Houthis attack Red Sea ships?

The Houthi attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, initiated after the onset of the Israel-Gaza war on October 7, have led major global shipping companies to announce their avoidance of the area.

The Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group controlling a substantial part of Yemen, have declared their intention to target any ship travelling to Israel. Since then, they have carried out multiple drone and ballistic missile attacks on commercial vessels.

In response to these attacks, the United States has launched an international naval operation to safeguard ships in the region. Several countries, including the UK, Canada, France, Bahrain, Norway, and Spain, have joined forces to address the escalating maritime security concerns in the Red Sea.