British oil tanker Marlin Luanda struck Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, sparking fire off Yemen coast

A British oil tanker has been set on fire after being struck by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen.

Iran-backed rebels have claimed responsibility for the attack on the Marlin Luanda in the Gulf of Aden.

1

They used “a number of appropriate naval missiles, the attack was direct,” said Yahya Sarea, a military spokesman for the Houthis.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the ship is now on fire.

In a statement from the shipping safety monitoring system, they said: “UKMTO has received a report of an incident 60 nautical miles south-east of Aden, Yemen. CSO reports that a ship has been hit and is currently on fire.

“They need help. Authorities have been notified and are responding.”

The UKTMO said they had received a report of the attack about 60 nautical miles south-east of Aden.

This is the latest retaliation after the US and Britain carried out airstrikes on rebel bases earlier in January.

Houthi rebels have attacked cargo ships in the Red Sea in retaliation for Israel's continued bombardment of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The British ships in the Red Sea have been attacked by Houthi rebels who have vowed to inflict economic pain on the West in revenge for the war in Gaza.

The British-American attack near the capital Sanaa was the second blitz, followed by one carefully planned operation earlier this month.

The plane came away from the attack Cyprus to Yemen and back within a few hours, ras they blew into the air on the targets.

Rising tensions in the Red Sea have prompted Britain to do so strengthen its defense by upgrading its Sea Viper surface-to-air missile system.

The Houthis warned of the strikes “will not go unpunished” after RAF Typhoon fighter jets destroyed eight Houthi places where the rebels refused to stop attacks on ships in the Red Sea.