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☆ Another Wayward Container Ship Shows World Trade’s Fragility
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Peter S. Goodman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Between swirling geopolitical winds, the variables of climate change and continued disruptions resulting from the pandemic, the risks of depending on ships to carry goods around the planet were already conspicuous. The pitfalls of relying on factories across oceans to supply everyday items like clothing and critical wares like medical devices were at once vivid and unrelenting. Off Yemen, Houthi rebels have been firing missiles at container ships in what they say is a show of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In Central America, a dearth of rainfall, linked to climate change, has limited passage through the Panama Canal. That has impeded a crucial link between the Atlantic and the Pacific, delaying shipments to the East Coast of the United States from Asia.

Organizations: Atlantic, Pacific Locations: Baltimore, Patapsco, American, Yemen, Gaza, Suez, Asia, Europe, Africa, Central America, Panama, East Coast, United States

☆ India's inflation, growth at risk from Red Sea crisis-driven oil price rise, government says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

India's national flag flaps next to the 'National Emblem' at the newly constructed Indian parliament building after the flag hoisting ceremony in New Delhi on Sept.17, 2023. India's inflation and economic growth are at risk from the rise in oil prices caused by disruptions in the Red Sea, the government said on Friday, highlighting the need to diversify trade routes. A combination of high freight costs, insurance premiums and long transit times can make imported goods "significantly more expensive", India's finance ministry said in its monthly economic review. India's shipments of agricultural commodities, textiles, chemicals, capital goods, marine and petroleum products may be impacted due to the disruptions, and affect the price competitiveness of exports. "To effectively address these challenges, there may be a need to diversify trade routes and transportation options," the finance ministry said.

Persons: Yemen's Locations: New Delhi, Red, Europe, Suez, Africa

☆ Iran-backed Houthis attacked a Chinese ship with missiles after promising to leave them alone
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Houthis reportedly said they would avoid attacking Chinese ships off the coast of Yemen. AdvertisementThe Houthis said they would refrain from attacking Chinese ships off the coast of Yemen, but this past weekend, the Iran-backed rebels did exactly what they said they wouldn't. "The Houthis attacked the M/V Huang despite previously stating they would not attack Chinese vessels," CENTCOM said. The M/V Huang Pu is Chinese owned and operated, but it was sailing under the flag of Panama when it was attacked. "It was determined these UAVs presented an imminent threat to US, coalition, and merchant vessels in the region," CENTCOM said.

Persons: —, Huang Pu, CENTCOM, Huang, Michael Kurilla, Kurilla, Fawaz Salman Organizations: Service, US Central Command, AP, United Nations, Bloomberg, House Armed Services, REUTERS, Ambrey Locations: Yemen, Iran, Beijing, China, Russia, Chinese, Gaza, Sanaa, Gulf of Aden, Tehran, Ukraine, PRC, Aden, Red, Panama

☆ US Navy warships can defeat exploding naval drones today, but these deadly systems are evolving
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Ukraine has found success at sea by using naval drones packed with explosive to batter Russia. AdvertisementIn two conflicts separated by more than 1,000 miles, US friends and foes alike have turned to a deadly weapon to defeat their enemy's warships: small naval drones packed with explosives. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower conducts flight operations in response to Houthi activity in the Red Sea on Feb. 23. In other words, there are ways that warships can protect against, evade, and ultimately defeat naval drones. Naval drones can potentially carry a large payload, and if they manage to get through undetected and hit a ship, "there could be significant damage."

Persons: —, Bradley Martin, Sam Tangredi, Ivan Lukashevych, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Tangredi, Archer Macy, Russia hasn't, Sergey Kotov, Macy, USVs, Martin, They're, Arleigh Burke, John Finn, Lewis, Clark, Cesar Chavez, AKE, Justin Stack, Shaan Shaikh, Shaikh Organizations: Former US Navy, Service, US Navy, AP, BI, Security Service, Former Navy, US, Sea Fleet, Ministry of Defense, Navy, Aircraft, Seahawk, Ruskin, Missile Defense, Center for Strategic, International Studies Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Yemen, Europe, Kyiv, Brig, Screengrab, Iran, —, Russian, Ukrainian, Crimea, Handout, Pacific, China, Washington, Beijing, Pearl, East China, they're

☆ Ukraine's Patriot kills of Russian planes and missiles have turned a US air-defense weapon with a troubled past into a hero
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Ukraine's use of the US-made Patriot system has been celebrated. A mixed pastThe MIM-104 Patriot missile system is a ground-based, mobile surface-to-air missile battery that can down crewed and uncrewed aircraft, cruise missiles, and short-range and tactical ballistic missiles. AdvertisementNone of Ukraine's Patriot missile systems have been confirmed destroyed, though there have been Russian claims, but the system has been involved in confirmed kills of Russian aircraft and missiles. "We were again, very much surprised by what we see now, what the effectiveness of the Patriot system seems to be," he said. The problem with Patriot missiles for Ukraine mirrors its main obstacle in trying to fight Russia: A critical shortage of supplies and ammunition.

Persons: —, Frederik Mertens, Justin Bronk, Mertens, Joe Raedle, Bronk, Timothy Wright, Nathan White, Mick Ryan, Gilles BASSIGNAC, Houthi, Wright, Jeffrey Lewis, Tom Karako, ANDREW CABALLERO, REYNOLDS, Ryan, Karako, it's, BI's Jake Epstein, Rajan Menon, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine Bronk, Jan Kallberg, Ukraine Oleksandr Gusev Organizations: Service, Patriots, Patriot, U.S . Army Security, Hague, Strategic Studies, Royal United Services Institute, Iraq's, US Army, Raytheon, Iraqi, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Australian Army, Getty Images, Middlebury Institute of International Studies, Missile Defense, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Airforce, Getty, Defense, NATO, Emergency Service, Centre for, Kyiv, Pentagon Locations: Ukraine, Russia, United States, Iraq, Iraqi, Saudi Arabia, Getty Images Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Monterey, Prince, Al, Kyiv, Russian, UAE

☆ Drones have ushered in a brutal new phase of Syria's civil war
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewDrones are increasingly shaping warfare in the Syrian civil war that entered its 14th year in March. Kasim Rammah/Getty ImagesHowever, unlike drones, Syrian Air Force aircraft require significant support from Russia. Advertisement"The Russians might not want to spend any more jet fuel and Soviet-designed bombs on Assad just to help him blow up hospitals and marketplaces in Idlib," Lund said. Advertisement"It seems well within the means of Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant jihadi militia in Idlib, to manufacture and use kamikaze drones," Lund said. Even though many of these opposition drones are often described as crude, low-tech, and DIY, Lund also does not rule out the possibility that Syrian opposition groups have received state backing for some attacks.

Persons: —, Bashar al, Assad, Freddy Khoueiry, RANE, Khoueiry, Aron Lund, Lund, Kasim Rammah, Moscow's, they're, RANE's Organizations: Service, Business, Century International, Syrian Air Force, embroilment, Scientific Studies, Research Center, Ministry of Defense, Hezbollah, Russia Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Damascus, Hayat Tahrir, Idlib, Homs, East, North Africa, Syria, Aleppo, Soviet, Iran, Yemen, Lebanon, Hmeimim, Latakia, Tahrir, Turkey

☆ Gambia and the Campaign Against Cutting
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Ruth Maclean | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Yesterday, lawmakers in Gambia voted to advance legislation that would legalize female genital cutting. Yet genital cutting is still on the rise. Today, 230 million women and girls around the world have been cut, a 15 percent rise from 2016. In Africa and the Middle East, several countries still permit the practice, and in many others, laws are erratically enforced. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain why cutting — which for most communities means removing the clitoris and the labia minora, or almost sealing up the vagina — has been so hard to stamp out.

Locations: Gambia, Africa, Somalia, Guinea, Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Mali, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Yemen, Indonesia, Malaysia

☆ The UK is the 2nd-most miserable country in the world, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The UK is the second-most miserable country in the world, a new report said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementThe UK is the second-most miserable country in the world, a new global well-being index said. Only Uzbekistan came lower in the rankings, which were published in the US nonprofit Sapien Labs' Mental State of the World Report earlier this month. The World Happiness Report 2023 suggested the UK was the 19th happiest country in the world.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin's, Bridge Lucy Organizations: Service, Sapien Labs, Mental State, Sapiens Labs, Britain, Labs, Bridge Locations: Uzbekistan, Dominican Republic, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Ukraine, Yemen, Western

☆ Explosion Reported Near Ship off Yemen Coast, UKMTO Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

CAIRO (Reuters) - The captain of a merchant ship east of Yemen's Aden has reported an explosion near the ship, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said early on Sunday. "No damage to the vessel has been reported and the crew are reported safe. The vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," UKMTO said in an advisory note. The ship was 85 nautical miles (157 km, 98 miles) east of Aden, in an area where Houthi militant groups often target ships they say are linked to Israel or the United States. War in Israel and Gaza View All 222 ImagesThe United States and Britain have launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and redesignated the militia as a terrorist group.

Persons: UKMTO, Yemen's, Hatem Maher, Tom Hogue, Edmund Klamann Organizations: United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, U.S Locations: CAIRO, Yemen's Aden, Aden, Israel, United States, Africa, Gaza, Britain, Yemen, Yemeni

☆ Drones have turned the tables in recent African wars
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Paul Iddon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Drones recently supplied to Sudan by Iran are already making an impact in that country's brutal civil war. Similar types of drones played decisive roles in turning the tables in two previous African civil wars in recent years and could do so again. "It should come as no surprise that these drones are being used in wars around the world," Rogers told BI. In this context, drones are useful to achieve specific objectives, but they will not win the war alone," Rogers said. RANE's Dodd also credited Ethiopia's drone procurements for decisively "turning the tide" of the Tigray War.

Persons: —, Remi Dodd, RANE, it's, Dodd, James Patton Rogers, Rogers, Turkey's TB2, Loong, Debretsion Gebremichael, RANE's Dodd Organizations: Service, Business, Sudanese Armed Forces, Rapid Support Forces, United, Ethiopian, Tigray, Libyan National Army, Cornell Brooks Tech, Institute, Cornell University, American Warfare, Anadolu, Getty, Democratic Locations: Sudan, Iran, Iranian, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Libya, Tripoli, Omdurman, Tehran, Red, Yemen, Ukraine, Tigray War, Tigray, Addis Ababa, Ukrainian, New York, Donetsk, Nigeria, DRC, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burkina Faso

☆ US Military Says It Destroyed Houthi Drone Over Red Sea
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) -The U.S. military said it destroyed a drone fired by the Yemeni Houthis on Saturday, with another presumed to have crashed into the Red Sea. CETNCOM also said it destroyed five unmanned surface vessels and one UAV in self-defence, in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. "It was determined these weapons presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region," the statement read. Months of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around Southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread to destabilise the wider Middle East. The U.S. and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to the attacks on shipping.

Persons: CETNCOM, Hatem Maher, David Gregorio Organizations: Reuters, U.S, US Central Command, U.S . Navy Locations: Houthi, Yemen, U.S, Southern Africa, Israel, The U.S, Britain

☆ CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, one of world's top ocean shippers, says the outlook has changed for global economy, trade demand
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

We saw them coming up a bit towards the end of the quarter, and then of course, the Red Sea crisis ... which again changed the market." Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd, the world's fifth-largest ocean carrier, tells CNBC he has an improved view on trade for the rest of 2024. "It's a concerning situation and I think the [Red Sea] outlook is very difficult," Jansen said. In addition to the added costs, according to Sea-Intelligence, the Red Sea diversions could increase carbon dioxide emissions by 260%–354%. New ocean alliance with MaerskThe reduction in global freight and schedule reliability are headwinds ocean carriers have been facing for months.

Persons: Lloyd, Jansen, Rolf Habben Jansen, Hapag Lloyd, Hansen, it's, Lars Østergaard Nielsen, Nielsen, " Hansen Organizations: CNBC, Intelligence, EU, Trading, Maersk, Hapag, Gemini, Sea, MSC Locations: U.S, Asia, West Coast, East Coast, Gulf Coast, Red, Aden, Yemen, Africa, Europe, Suez, Panama, California

☆ Iran and U.S. Held Secret Talks on Proxy Attacks and Cease-Fire
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Farnaz Fassihi | Eric Schmitt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Iran and the United States held secret, indirect talks in Oman in January, addressing the escalating threat posed to Red Sea shipping by the Houthis in Yemen, as well as the attacks on American bases by Iran-backed militias in Iraq, according to Iranian and U.S. officials familiar with the discussions. The secret talks were held on Jan. 10 in Muscat, the capital of Oman, with Omani officials shuffling messages back and forth between delegations of Iranians and Americans sitting in separate rooms. The meeting, first reported by The Financial Times this week, was the first time Iranian and American officials had held in-person negotiations — albeit indirectly — in nearly eight months. American officials said Iran requested the meeting in January and the Omanis strongly recommended that the United States accept. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, the United States and Iran have reassured each other that neither was seeking a direct confrontation, a stance conveyed in messages they passed through intermediaries.

Persons: Ali Bagheri Kani, Brett McGurk Organizations: The Financial Locations: Iran, United States, Oman, Yemen, Iraq, Muscat, Gaza, Israel

☆ Western special ops activity is on the rise around a new US partner in a strategic but unstable area of the Mediterranean
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewA former Russian partner who has drawn closer to the US in recent years has lately become something of a hub for Western special operations activity. The country's proximity to Israel, Gaza, and the Red Sea is important for special operations training. Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (SWCC) conduct live fire weapons training with Cypriot Underwater Demolition Command (MYK) forces near Limassol, Cyprus on Jan. 29, 2024. In 2015, Nicosia signed a deal with Moscow allowing Russian warships to access its ports for replenishment. AdvertisementFollowing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Cyprus barred Russian warships from its ports and scrapped the 2015 agreement, something the US had demanded.

Persons: —, Bill Gallagher, Bill Carlisle, Jeff Butler, Butler, Gallagher Organizations: Service, US Navy SEALs, Warfare, Cypriot, Business, Naval, Craft, Cypriot Underwater, Command, US Navy, Navy, NFL, Super, White House, Cypriot National Guard, Turkish, New Jersey National Guard, Navy SEAL Locations: Russian, Cyprus, Gaza, Germany, Netherlands, Akrotiri, Yemen, Limassol, Levant, North Africa, Asia, Israel, East Coast, Russia, Nicosia, Moscow, Greece, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turkey, Ukraine, Cypriot

The Galaxy Leader cargo ship is escorted by Houthi boats in the Red Sea in this photo released November 20, 2023. The large numbers mean Filipinos are disproportionately exposed to the dangers posed by Houthis targeting ships in the Red Sea. Two Filipino crew members remain in Djibouti to receive medical treatment. Most of the Filipino crew members on board returned to Manila on Tuesday, reuniting with their families after their ordeal at sea. It’s very painful for us, especially for the families,” Mark Dagohoy, one of the ship’s crew members, told journalists after their return.

Persons: It’s, “ There’s, ”, Eduardo de Vega, Israel, Houthis, “, Al, ” Houthi, Nasr Al, Din Amer, De Vega, de Vega, They’re, Mohammed Al, it’s, Ray Car, Abraham Ungar, Eloisa Lopez, Houthi, Yahya Sarea, ” Mark Dagohoy, Celine Alkhaldi, Paul P, Murphy Organizations: CNN, Galaxy Leader, Houthi Military Media, Reuters, Philippines, Yemeni, Nippon, Ray, Ray Car Carriers, Ambrey Analytics, Ambrey, Indian Navy, Manila International Airport, “, Liberian, Financial Times, Oaktree Locations: Filipino, Gaza, Red, Romanian, Iran, Yemen, Cairo, Philippines, Aden, Saudi, Hodeidah, Suez, Africa, Bab, Mandab, United States, Britain, Djibouti, Manila

☆ China, Russia and Iran put on show of force with Mideast naval drills
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Warships from China, Russia and Iran have held live-fire exercises in a key Middle Eastern waterway this week as the three partners put on a show of force in the volatile region, according to reports in state-run media. China’s navy sent a guided-missile destroyer and guided-missile frigate to the exercises, Russia dispatched the cruiser Varyag from its Pacific Fleet, and Iran contributed a range of vessels, including frigates and fast-attack boats, according to state-run media. Scheduled to run through Friday, the exercises are in their sixth incarnation since 2018, Russian state news agency TASS reported. Iran is a key supporter of both Hamas in Gaza and the Houthi rebels. Iranian munitions, including its Shahed aerial drones, have also become an important part of Russia’s arsenal in its war on Ukraine.

Persons: Amrollah Nozari, Nozari, Iran’s Organizations: CNN, Chinese Defense Ministry, Fleet, Islamic Republic News Agency, Tasnim News Agency Locations: China, Russia, Iran, Gulf of Oman, Israel, Gaza, Gulf of Aden, Yemen, Tehran, Ukraine

☆ US-British Forces Strike Houthi Targets in Yemen, Houthi Outlet Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( March | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Mohammed GhobariADEN, Yemen (Reuters) -Yemen's port city of Hodeidah and other western coastal areas were hit on Monday by at least 17 airstrikes attributed to a U.S.-British coalition defending ships in the Red Sea, according to Al Masirah, the main Houthi-run television news outlet. The strikes follow the first civilian fatalities and vessel loss since the Iran-aligned Houthis began attacking commercial shipping in November. They also coincide with the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a period of fasting for Muslims. The Houthis killed three crew of the Barbados-flagged, Greek-operated True Confidence on Wednesday in an attack off the port of Aden. (Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Aden, Adam Makary in Cairo; writing by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Sephen Coates)

Persons: Mohammed Ghobari ADEN, Al Masirah, Houthis, Ras Issa, Mohammed Ghobari, Adam Makary, Lisa Baertlein, Kevin Liffey, Sephen Coates Organizations: British, U.S ., Hamas Locations: Yemen, Hodeidah, U.S, Red, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Ras, Barbados, Aden, Africa's, Suez, Cairo, Los Angeles

The Yemen-based branch of Al Qaeda said on Sunday that its leader, Khaled Batarfi, had died. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, known as A.Q.A.P., released a video announcing Mr. Batarfi’s death, showing images of him wrapped in a white funeral shroud overlaid with a black Al Qaeda flag. The United States government once considered Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to be one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organizations. The United States previously offered a $6 million reward for information about Mr. al-Awlaki, and $5 million for tips about Mr. Batarfi. Born in Saudi Arabia, Mr. Batarfi traveled in the 1990s to Afghanistan and fought alongside the Taliban before joining Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen, according to a U.S. informational sheet about him.

Persons: Al Qaeda, Khaled Batarfi, Batarfi’s, ”, Gregory D, Johnsen, “, Ibrahim Al, Batarfi, Saad bin Atef, Awlaki Organizations: Al, United, Gulf States Institute Locations: Yemen, Al, Al Qaeda, United States, American, Washington, Sudanese, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda’s

☆ US, UK, French military shoot down Houthi drones after attack on bulk carrier, destroyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The container ship, Safeen Pride, with a destination of 'HODEIDAH (ARMED GUARDS)' seen at sea on January 17, 2024 in Djibouti, Djibouti. U.S., French and British forces downed dozens of drones in the Red Sea area overnight and on Saturday after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis targeted bulk carrier Propel Fortune and U.S. destroyers in the region, the U.S. military said in a statement. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said the U.S. military and coalition forces had downed at least 28 uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the Red Sea in the early hours of Saturday. Earlier on Saturday, CENTCOM said the military was responding to a large-scale attack on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden between 4 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. (0100-0330 GMT). The UAVs were intended to present "an imminent threat to merchant vessels, U.S. Navy, and coalition ships in the region", it said in a post on social media platform X.

Persons: Yahya Sarea, CENTCOM Organizations: U.S, . Central Command, U.S ., Coalition Navy, U.S . Navy Locations: Djibouti, Djibouti . U.S, British, Red, Iran, Gulf of Aden, Gaza, Gulf, Aden, U.S

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Gaza famine warning
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

The United States conducted strikes on two drones in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen late on Wednesday, according to a statement from US Central Command. The Houthis, an Iran-backed militant group, began attacking ships in October that have been transiting the Red Sea. Their attacks were in response to Israel's war on Hamas. The US strike came just hours after a Houthi missile attack on a commercial ship near Yemen killed three crew members and injured at least four, according to CENTCOM. The attack, which CENTCOM said was the fifth anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Houthis in the last two days, marked a significant escalation of the Houthi attacks on Red Sea vessels.

Persons: CENTCOM, Houthis Organizations: US Central Command, US Locations: States, Yemen, Iran

☆ Oil fell slightly as China growth worries clash with output cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Oil prices fell slightly on Wednesday as concerns about demand growth in China, the world's biggest crude importer, clashed with signs of supply tightness amid output cuts by major producers. Oil prices fell slightly on Wednesday as concerns about demand growth in China, the world's biggest crude importer, clashed with signs of supply tightness amid output cuts by major producers. The 'risk off' nature of recent trading was underscored by the fall in Treasury yields, which also pressured oil prices. "Crude oil futures edged lower amid the risk-off tone across markets. If the EIA reports a crude storage build, it will be the sixth straight week of rising oil stocks in the country.

Persons: Daniel Hynes Organizations: Brent, U.S, West Texas, Treasury, of, Petroleum, ANZ, American Petroleum Institute, U.S . Energy, Administration Locations: China, OPEC, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Asia

☆ Crew members killed for first time in Houthi attack on commercial ship in Red Sea, US official says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —A Houthi ballistic missile attack on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden resulted in at least two fatalities among the crew members, two US officials told CNN, marking the first time that the Iran-backed militant group has killed anyone as part of their ongoing attacks on ships transiting the Red Sea. The attack struck the M/V True Confidence, a Barbados-flagged, Liberian-owned bulk carrier, the officials said. The ship has since been abandoned and coalition warships are now in the area assessing the situation, the officials said. The strike marks a significant escalation of the Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, which began in October in response to Israel’s war in Gaza. The passage links the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea, allowing ships to cut thousands of miles off shipping routes instead of sailing around Africa.

Persons: Pete Nguyen, Nguyen, Biden, Sabrina Singh, ”, “, Dwight D Organizations: CNN, Liberian, Naval, US, Defense Department, US Central Command, Houthi, Pentagon, Eisenhower, United Nations Locations: Gulf, Aden, Iran, Barbados, Gaza, Red, Yemen, Suez, Africa

☆ Ship damaged offshore Yemen, days after a Houthi-struck vessel sank in the Red Sea
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A merchant vessel was hit and took damage offshore of Yemen, the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations said Wednesday, days after a ship struck by Iran-backed Houthis sank in the Red Sea. The UKMTO said that the incident took place 54 nautical miles southwest of Aden, adding that the merchant vessel "suffered damage" and was being assisted by international coalition forces active regionally. Earlier, the UKMTO reported that the merchant vessel was hailed for 30 minutes by an entity declaring itself to be the "Yemeni Navy," before the ship was instructed to alter course. Vessels in the vicinity reported "a large bang, and a plume of smoke sighted," according to the UKMTO. CNBC could not independently confirm the incident or the flag and ownership of the impaired vessel.

Persons: Houthis Organizations: Maritime Trade Operations, Yemeni Navy, CNBC, U.S . Central Command Locations: Yemen, Iran, Red, Aden, Barbados, U.S, Belize

☆ Houthi rebels launched the first fatal anti-ship ballistic missile attack just days after sinking another vessel
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An anti-ship ballistic missile hit the True Confidence as it was transiting the Gulf of Aden. AdvertisementThe M/V True Confidence after it was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile. Monday's incident also marks the first ever fatal anti-ship ballistic missile attack . AdvertisementThe Marshall Islands-flagged, Bermuda-owned M/V Marlin Luanda after it was hit with an anti-ship ballistic missile in the Gulf of Aden in January. The fatal attack, meanwhile, comes just days after the sinking of the Rubymar, a commercial vessel that was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile while it was transiting the Red Sea in mid-February.

Persons: —, CENTCOM, Marlin Luanda, Central Command Matthew Miller, Miller Organizations: Service, Liberian, Central Command, US, Command, MSC Sky, Marshall, State Department Locations: Aden, Iran, Yemen, Barbados, Bermuda, Gulf, Screengrab, Red

☆ Opinion | Inside America’s Shadow War With Iran
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Thomas L. Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

You could hold a friendly regatta in the Taiwan Straits compared to where I just visited. I spent two days last week hopscotching in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter among seven U.S. military bases in western Jordan and eastern Syria with America’s senior Middle East Centcom commander, Gen. Michael Kurilla. What you have, instead, is the other Middle East war that began shortly after the tragic Israel-Hamas war that broke out on Oct. 7. They have learned to arm, build, adapt and deploy some of the most sophisticated precision weaponry in the world. That weaponry, provided by Iran, can hit a three-foot-wide target 500 miles away.

Persons: It’s, Michael Kurilla Organizations: Chinese Navy, Air Force, U.S . Navy, America’s, East, ISIS, U.S Locations: Taiwan, China, Jordan, Syria, Israel, Iran, Iraq, U.S, Gulf of Aden, Yemen

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