• UGI USER
  • Apr 29, 2024
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INDIAN NAVY ASSISTS PANAMA TANKER POST-HOUTHI ATTACK; CREW SAFE.

Why in the news?

Indian Navy guides Panama tanker, attacked by Houthi militants, to safety; all 30 crew, including 22 Indians, unharmed.

source:dailysun

About Naval Response to Attack:

  • The Indian Navy intervened to aid a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker, MV Andromeda Star, with 30 crew members, including 22 Indians, after it was targeted in a missile attack by Houthi militants.
  • The Indian Navy deployed INS Kochi to respond to the attack on April 26, ensuring the safety of all crew members aboard the vessel.
  • According to officials, militants launched three missiles near the merchant vessels Maisha and Andromeda Star, causing minor damage to the latter.
  • The attack occurred in troubled waters, highlighting the
About INS Kochi:

  • INS Kochi: Second Kolkata-class stealth guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, part of Project 15A.
  • Features: Equipped with advanced supersonic BrahMos missile, indigenous anti-submarine weapons and sensors, Combat Management System (CMS-15A), and capable of operating helicopters.

Who are Houthis Rebels?

  • Houthis: Militant group involved in Yemen’s decade-long civil war.
  • Origins: Started as Ansarallah, preaching tolerance and peace in North Yemen in the early 1990s.
  • Shia Zaidi Sect: Houthis follow this sect, representing about a third of Yemen’s population.
  • Occupy Power: Seized control of Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, in 2014.
  • Territory: Control northern Yemen, including Sana’a, and have influence across the country.
  • Support: Backed by Shia regime in Iran, receiving arms and financial aid.
  • Opposition: Saudi Arabia, supported by Western allies like the US, backs the Yemeni government, creating regional tensions.