Yemeni Houthi rebels have released a video of an attack they claim to have been carried out by a sea drone on an oil tanker in the Red Sea. The footage shows a small vessel approaching, then colliding with the ship’s port side, resulting in a large explosion. 

BBC has confirmed that the tanker seen in the video is the Chios Lion. The attack occurred on July 15, 100 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s port of Hodeidah. The attack is reported to have inflicted minor damage to the Chios Lion. The tanker’s crew was not injured in the attack.

Satellite images revealed that an oil slick between 40-200 km may have resulted from the attack.

While the Houthis initially said they were only attacking ships connected with Israel, the Chios Lion was loaded with 100,000 tonnes of Russian oil believed to be bound for China.

The Iranian-backed Houthis scored their first hit with a sea drone in June, striking the M/V Tutor, a Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier.

Yemen’s Houthis attack tanker ship in Red Sea

Thanks to Alaric Bond for contributing to this post.