In the heart of the Red Sea, the tension is sky high: The Houthi they hit a container carrier flying the Liberian flag Msc Sky II, causing a fire on board which was promptly put out by the crew, fortunately without injuries. In response, American forces neutralized two anti-ship missiles launched by pro-Iranian Yemeni militias after the attack on the container ship. Today, Tuesday 5 March, the Italian Parliament is called a vote on “Aspides” mission in the Red Sea, which risks dividing the opposition lines even further.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian president Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) prepares for an important meeting with the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. The objective is to discuss the actions to be taken for a possible truce in Gaza, where the death toll has exceeded the terrible threshold of 30 thousand, and to guarantee a constant flow of humanitarian aid, with particular attention to the arrival of Ramadan.
Houthi missiles shot down by the US
Yemeni Houthi rebels hit the container ship MSC Sky II, flying the Liberian flag and owned by Switzerland, with a missile around 16pm. Fortunately, the crew managed to put out the fire on board, but the vessel sustained some damage. Despite the attack, the container ship continued its route towards Djibouti.
After a few hours, Centcom, the unified command of the US military, announced that it had conducted self-defense attacks against two anti-ship missiles that threatened merchantmen and US Navy ships in the region. These actions, explains a note, were undertaken to guarantee freedom of navigation and make international waters safer for everyone. As tensions rise, the Houthis raise the bar by imposing restrictions: ships "will have to obtain a permit from the rebel-controlled Yemen Maritime Affairs Authority before entering Yemeni waters, the Houthi Telecommunications Minister said, Misfer Al-Numair.
Since last November, the Houthis have launched around 50 attacks against commercial and military vessels, reducing traffic in the Red Sea by 40%.
Italy ready for the Aspides mission in the Red Sea
Meanwhile, Italy is preparing for the “Aspides” mission in the Red Sea, a European response to the Houthi attacks that put Italian military and commercial ships at risk. These Yemeni rebels have intensified attacks since the start of Israel's war in Gaza, seeking to destabilize "Israel's allies" along one of the world's most vital trade routes: the Red Sea, which hosts 17% of internet traffic and the 12% of global trade, with 6 billion euros of Italian exports at stake.
The Aspides mission, which will last for a year, will be focused on defense. The focal point will be the Caio Duilio, a destroyer of the Italian Navy. In command there will be Rear Admiral Stefano Costantino, already on board the Duilio and ready to lead the European fleet already deployed in the area.
Today, Tuesday 5 March, is the day of the vote in Parliament to give the green light to the operations.
Ukraine, another Russian patrol vessel sunk in the Black Sea
During the night, a patrol vessel of the Russian fleet of the Black Sea, the “Sergei Kotov“, was hit hard byUkraine. According to Kiev intelligence, the attack was conducted with Magura V5 marine drones, causing damage to the stern and sides of the ship. This episode adds to previous attacks, including the sinking of the "Ivanovets" missile corvette in Lake Donuzlava, also in Crimea, and the attack on the "Caesar Kunikov" on February 14, highlighting implacable resistance from Kiev.
The Kremlin is silent for now, but it is clear that this is a serious blow.
