Yemen’s Houthi militants claimed an attack against a Norwegian tanker, days after the group pledged to target Israel-bound ships of any nationality.
Yemen’s Houthi militants on Tuesday claimed an attack against a Norwegian tanker, days after the group pledged to target Israel-bound ships of any nationality.
The vessel Strinda was headed for Israel when it was “targeted with a suitable naval missile” after its crew “refused to respond to warning,” Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said on social media on Tuesday.
The U.S. Central Command said on social media that the tanker Strinda was late on Monday “attacked by what is assessed to have been an Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM) launched from a Houthi controlled area of Yemen while passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb” strait in the vicinity of Yemen. Centcom said that the Strinda reported damage that caused a fire on board, but no casualties.
There were no U.S. ships in the vicinity at the time of the attack, but the country’s destroyer class vessel, the USS Mason, responded to the Strinda’s mayday call and rendered assistance, Centcom added.
