Image Source: the Internet
图片源于网络
On August 21, two attacks targeted vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, suspected to have been carried out by Yemen's Houthi rebels.
8月21日,红海与亚丁湾接连发生了两起针对商船的袭击事件,初步调查显示,这两起事件疑似与也门胡塞叛乱分子有关。
In the Red Sea, a Greek-flagged oil tanker was struck by two small boats in a fierce assault. The attackers first used small arms and then fired four projectiles at the tanker, causing it to catch fire and lose power. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the tanker is now out of control, with its control systems potentially completely down. At the time of the attack, the tanker was on a route from Iraq to Cyprus, with 25 crew members onboard. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.
一艘悬挂希腊国旗的油轮在红海航行时,突然遭到两艘小船的猛烈袭击。船上的武装人员首先使用小型武器开火,随后发射了四枚炮弹,直接命中油轮,导致油轮起火,失去动力。英国海上贸易行动中心(UKMTO)随后报告称,该油轮已不受控制,船只的操控系统可能已经完全瘫痪。袭击发生时,这艘油轮正从伊拉克驶往塞浦路斯,船上载有25名船员。幸运的是,并未有人员伤亡。
On the same day, an explosion targeted a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden. The ship encountered three explosions near the Gulf of Aden, but luckily, there were no reported damages or injuries. Though not as severe as the Red Sea attack, the incident further underscores the precarious maritime security situation in the area.
就在同一天,亚丁湾也发生了一起针对商船的爆炸事件。据报道,一艘商船在亚丁湾附近水域遭遇三次爆炸,所幸没有造成任何损害或人员伤亡。这起爆炸事件虽然没有红海袭击事件那般严重,但却进一步表明了该地区海上安全形势的脆弱性。
Since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October 2023, there has been a marked rise in attacks on commercial ships, significantly affecting global economic stability. The Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, vital shipping lanes, handle goods worth trillions of dollars annually. These incidents not only reveal the considerable risks facing international shipping in these waters but also underscore the complexities of the current Middle Eastern geopolitical situation.
自2023年10月以色列-哈马斯冲突爆发以来,针对商船的袭击频率显著增加,对全球经济的稳定带来了不容忽视的影响。红海和亚丁湾是全球航运的关键通道,每年有数万亿美元的货物通过这些水域。这两起袭击不仅暴露了国际航运在这一地区面临的极大风险,也反映出当前中东局势的复杂性。
In recent years, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas has worsened, Houthi rebels have seized the opportunity to heighten economic and military pressure through maritime strikes. Since the conflict, they have attacked more than 80 ships using missiles and drones, and even seized a ship and sunk two vessels, resulting in the death of four sailors. Their attacks have targeted not just conflict-related vessels but also many ordinary commercial ships. These incidents are not just a byproduct of regional conflict but also a reflection of the complex geopolitical landscape in the Middle East.
近年来,随着以色列与哈马斯之间的冲突不断升级,胡塞叛乱分子利用这一局势,试图通过海上袭击来增加对立方的经济和军事压力。据统计,自冲突开始以来,胡塞叛乱分子已经使用导弹和无人机袭击了80多艘船只,甚至还扣押了一艘船只,击沉了两艘船只,导致四名水手死亡。他们的袭击行动并不仅限于与冲突相关的船只,许多普通商业船只也沦为了袭击的受害者。这些袭击事件不仅是地区冲突的产物,也是中东复杂地缘政治局势的一个缩影。
These two attacks serve as a stark reminder to the international community that global maritime trade is facing unprecedented threats. With the situation in the conflict regions worsening, countries must stay alert and take decisive action to protect seafarers' lives and ensure the uninterrupted flow of global trade routes.
这两起袭击事件再次警示国际社会,全球海上贸易正面临前所未有的威胁。随着冲突地区局势的进一步恶化,各国须保持高度警惕,采取有效措施,确保海员的生命安全,维护全球贸易通道的畅通。