Tanker hit by Houthi cruise missile in Red Sea: US warship moves to support ship targeted in latest naval attack

A Norwegian-flagged tanker has been hit by a cruise missile launched by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea in their latest attack on ships protesting Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.

The US Military Central Command said the anti-tank cruise missile launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen struck the Strinda last night and the destroyer USS Mason was providing assistance.

The Iran-backed rebels targeted the tanker with a missile after the crew refused to respond to all warnings, Houthi military spokesman Yehia Sareea said in a televised statement.

He vowed that the Houthis would continue to block ships heading to Israeli ports until Israel allowed the entry of food and medical aid into the Gaza Strip – more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from the Houthi seat of power in Sanaa.

The attack on the tanker Strinda took place about 60 nautical miles (111 km) north of the crucial Bab al-Mandab Strait that separates East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula at around 9 p.m. (GMT), a US official said. A second US official said the Strinda was able to move under its own power in the hours after the attack.

Geir Belsnes, CEO of Strinda’s operator J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, said: ‘All crew members are uninjured and safe. The ship is now sailing to a safe port.’

The oil and chemical tanker came from Malaysia and was on its way to the Suez Canal.

The US Central Command said the anti-tank cruise missile launched from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen struck the Strinda (file image) last night.

The Houthi spokesman said the group had managed to obstruct the passage of several ships in recent days in support of the Palestinians.

The Houthis have swept into the Israeli-Hamas conflict – which has spread across the Middle East since October 7 – by attacking ships in vital shipping lanes and firing drones and missiles at Israel itself.

On Saturday, the Houthis said they would target all ships bound for Israel, regardless of nationality, and warned international shipping companies against doing business with Israeli ports.

The chemical tanker flies the Norwegian flag and the Norwegian owner, Mowinckel Chemical Tankers, and manager Hansa Tankers were not immediately available for comment outside office hours.

The Strinda had loaded vegetable oil and biofuels in Malaysia and was headed to Venice, Italy, according to data from ship tracking company Kpler. It was not immediately clear whether STRINDA had ties to Israel.

The group, which rules much of Yemen, says its attacks are a show of support for the Palestinians and has vowed they will continue until Israel halts its offensive on the Gaza Strip – more than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from the Houthi seat of power in Sanaa.

The Houthis are one of several groups within the Iran-linked ‘Axis of Resistance’ that have been targeting Israeli and US targets since their Palestinian ally Hamas attacked Israel.

During the first week of December, three commercial ships were attacked in international waters, prompting a U.S. Navy destroyer to intervene.

The Houthis also seized a British-owned cargo ship linked to an Israeli company last month.

The United States and Britain have condemned the attacks on shipping and blamed Iran for its role in supporting the Houthis. Tehran says its allies make their decisions independently.

Saudi Arabia has asked the United States to exercise restraint in responding to the attacks.