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US Central Command said a gun was fired from a Yemen control group b Iran supported the Houthi rebels a Norwegian flag ship sank on Monday.
A Houthi military spokesman said the Iran-backed rebels targeted the tanker with a rocket after the crew refused to respond to its warning calls.
The Houthis have claimed responsibility
“The Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a worthy military operation against the Norwegian ship Strinda, which was loaded with oil” headed for Israel, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said.
Saree said that the Houthis will continue to block all ships that go to Israeli ports until Israel allows the entry of food and medical aid into the port. Gaza Strip.
The attack on the oil and chemical tankers has expanded a campaign by the group targeting ships near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
What we know about the attack
The ship reported damage that caused a fire on board, US officials said, adding that no incident was reported at the time.
“The Motor Tanker STRINDA was attacked by what was assessed as an Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM) launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen while passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb,” it said. of the US CENTCOM in a statement, regarding the relationship between Yemen and the Horn of Africa.
The attack on the STRINDA occurred about 60 miles (111 kilometers) north of the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Reuters news agency quoted a US defense official as saying.
“All the crew are safe and sound,” said Geir Belsnes, CEO of Strinda’s company, J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi.
“The ship is now headed for a safe harbor.”
The command also stated that no American ships were nearby at the time of the attack, but the US Navy destroyer USS Mason was there and provided assistance.
What do we know about the ship?
The ship was loaded with vegetable oil and biofuels in Malaysia, and was heading to the Suez Canal in Egypt, said the ship tracking company Marinetraffic.
It was not clear if the ship had any connection with Israel. The Houthis are there increased attack on ships in important transportation routes since Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip, caused by terrorist attacks on October 7 by the militant, Islamist group Hamas.
There are also Houthis shooting drones and shoot at Israel.
On Saturday, the Iranian-backed rebels vowed target all ships to Israel, regardless of their nationality, international shipping companies are warned about dealing with Israeli ports.
rmt,rc/rt (AP, Reuters)