Seatrade Maritime: Houthi Maritime Influence Goes Global as Ukraine Replicates Their Tactics in Strikes on Russian Fleet Tankers Ukrainian Attacks Reveal the Spread of Houthi Techniques to New Conflict Zones
NYN | Reports and Analyses
Seatrade Maritime reported that the attacks targeting the Russian oil tankers Kairos and Verat in the Black Sea were not merely isolated military operations; they confirmed that Houthi-style maritime methods have now spread beyond the Red Sea.
According to the outlet, Ukraine relied on naval drones in a manner nearly identical to the approach the Houthis pioneered in the region over the past two years—an approach that has proven highly effective in bypassing defensive systems and striking vessels with precision.
A Houthi Signature in the Latest Maritime Attacks
The Seatrade Maritime report argues that Houthi influence has become one of the most significant trends in modern unconventional naval warfare.
The group has succeeded in creating a new operational reality through the use of low-cost, high-impact naval drones. This has given their operational model strategic importance, prompting militaries and governments to study and replicate their methods.
The outlet states that the recent Ukrainian attacks appeared—down to their details—directly inspired by the tactics used by the Houthis against commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, whether in low-profile approach methods or in exploiting vulnerable maritime corridors of targeted ships.
The Ukrainian Operation as a Direct Extension of Houthi Methods
The maritime platform explains that footage of the Ukrainian strike showed powerful explosions on the hulls of the two tankers, bearing clear resemblance to the Houthi method based on surprise, precision, and overwhelming an opponent’s defenses.
Seatrade Maritime emphasizes that this is not merely a similarity in tools; it represents an actual transfer of operational expertise accumulated by the Houthis in recent years—turning the Yemeni model into a military reference that is being adapted in international conflicts.
Details of the Targeted Vessels Are Secondary to the Meaning of the Attack
The outlet briefly noted that the tankers belong to the so-called “shadow fleet,” used to transport Russian oil outside official channels. One carries an entirely Russian crew, while the other is listed under international sanctions.
However, it stressed that such details are secondary compared to the larger implications of the operation: the Houthis now exert global influence on naval warfare tactics, and the methods that originated in the Red Sea are now being used in the Black Sea—reshaping the rules of modern maritime engagement.
