According to reports, on the evening of November 26, Israel's large oil tanker "** Park" was suspected to have been seized by the Houthis on the Red Sea coast of Yemen. The armed *** on which the Houthi special forces were riding absoled down on the deck of the tanker and took control of the wheelhouse. The incident has put Israel in a position of pressure from the Houthis.
The reasons behind the hijacking of the oil tanker remain to be investigated. The Red Sea is the gateway between the Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea, which in turn is one of the most important shipping routes in the world. The seizure of Israeli oil tankers by the Houthis can be seen as a means of exerting pressure on Israel and its supporters. In fact, Yemen is located at the Gulf of Aden border crossing, which dominates the shipping routes, and the Houthis are sending a strong warning signal to Israel.
After learning that the Israeli oil tanker had been hijacked, Israel immediately sent a distress signal to the US aircraft carrier stationed in the nearby waters. The U.S. military sent the destroyer DDG-87 "Mason" to rescue the tanker. According to US sources, after the "Mason" arrived at the site of the incident, it demanded the immediate release of the tanker. When Houthis tried to escape, they were chased and captured by US forces. It doesn't end there, though.
What followed was more than anyone expected. According to the US military, after capturing members of the Houthis, two missiles were fired at the "Mason" from the direction of Yemen, but they failed to hit. The missile's travel was interfered with by electromagnetic interference, and the missile eventually fell within a distance of about 10 nautical miles from the ship, causing no damage to the ship and personnel.
The Houthis have denied accusations that the U.S. ship fired missiles, saying that the seizure of the tanker was not their fault, suggesting that the United States made false accusations against them. However, the Houthis have previously launched long-range attacks on Israel, and there was an incident last month in which missiles fell into Israeli territory. These actions have made the United States more wary of the Houthis.
At the same time, there is a related piece of news that has attracted attention, the Pentagon revealed that during the hijacking of Israeli oil tankers, 3 medium ** ships appeared in the Gulf of Aden. However, the Chinese side did not take any action and did not respond to the distress signal. The United States blamed China for the incident and alluded to China's "inaction."
We must resolutely refute the accusations made by the United States. First, China has been committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters, and providing protection for merchant ships. For example, last month, 6 medium ** ships appeared in the Gulf of Aden, including 2 Type 052D and 2 Type 054A destroyers. This is not only to ensure the safety of our merchant ships, but also to be related to the tense situation in the Middle East. When carrying out escort missions, the protection of domestic merchant ships is the primary task, and it is not possible to carry out the protection tasks of other countries' merchant ships without authorization. Therefore, the United States' baseless accusation of "sitting on the sidelines" of China is completely untenable.
To sum up, the hijacking of an Israeli oil tanker has given rise to many uncertainties and accusations. Behind the scenes, there may be some kind of connection between the Houthis and Somali pirates. The missile attack on the US warship has further aggravated regional tensions. While the United States tries to place the blame on China, the facts do not support their accusations. The international community should work together through cooperation and dialogue to alleviate conflicts and ensure the safety and smooth passage of shipping. Peace and stability in the region can only be achieved through mutual understanding and cooperation.