The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said on Tuesday that they had carried out a military strike against the Norwegian tanker Strinda off the coast of Yemen. According to Houthi spokesperson Yehia Sareea, the group targeted the tanker with a rocket after the crew ignored warnings to stop.
Sareea stated that the Houthis have managed to obstruct the passage of several ships in recent days in order to show support for Palestinians in Gaza. He vowed that the rebels would continue blocking all vessels sailing towards Israeli ports until Israel permits food and medical aid to enter Gaza, which is over 1,000 miles away from the Houthi capital of Sanaa.
Earlier, the US Central Command said a Houthi missile struck the Norwegian-flagged Strinda tanker on Monday, causing a fire but no casualties as per initial reports. A US Navy destroyer heard the ship’s distress call and was providing assistance. The attack occurred as the chemical tanker was passing through the strategic Bab El-Mandeb strait between Yemen and Africa, on route to the Suez Canal.
The strike is the latest in a series of Houthi attacks targeting ships near Yemen, using missiles and drones. US warships patrolling the Red Sea have intercepted several Houthi projectiles in recent times. The rebels also captured a commercial carrier last month and forced it to port.
The 2006-built Strinda tanker is owned by a Norwegian company and was sailing towards the Suez Canal when it was hit.
Source: Agencies