A fire broke out on a Norwegian tanker after Houthi rebels hit the vessel with at least one missile. According to BBC News, there were no casualties in the attack.
Though a Houthi spokesperson said the MT Strinda was delivering oil to Israel, the ship’s owners claimed it was headed to Italy with feedstock for biofuel.
Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said that the ship was targeted December 11 after its crew failed to respond to warnings. He also said that the movement has recently prevented numerous ships from passing through Yemeni waters.
Houthi rebels have promised to block ships of any nation from heading to Israel until the country stops its attacks on Gaza, in what Houthis say is a show of support for Palestine.
Read more: Israeli Ships Reroute to Avoid Houthi Attacks
The MT Strinda was attacked at the entrance of the Red Sea in the Bab El Mandeb strait. The missile that struck the ship caused a fire onboard the vessel which was quickly put out. In a statement, ship owner J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi said the vessel was able to safely make it to a nearby port once the flames were extinguished.
The U.S. has said that it will consider “appropriate responses” to the attacks.
Prior to this assault, three Israeli-linked commercial ships in the Red Sea were struck with ballistic missiles December 3. The Houthi movement claimed responsibility for two of the attacks as well.
