- By Kathryn Armstrong
- BBC News
Image source, Getty Images
An oil tanker has been damaged in a missile attack off the coast of Yemen – the latest strike carried out by the Houthis.
The incident occurred about 15 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni town of Mocha.
Britain’s maritime safety agency UKMTO said the Panama-flagged ship was struck twice and suffered damage.
No injuries or deaths have been reported and the incident remains under investigation.
According to the UKMTO, the first missile attack caused an explosion near the ship and was felt by those on board. The second, believed to involve two missiles, made contact.
Global risk management firm Ambrey said three missiles had been sighted.
He added that ballistic missiles were reportedly fired from Taiz governorate in southwest Yemen.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack. The group’s military spokesman, Yahya Sarea, said in a televised address Saturday that a “British” ship called the Andromeda Star had been targeted, resulting in a “direct hit.”
US Central Command confirmed that the Andromeda Star was the ship in question, that it had suffered minor damage and was continuing its voyage.
Ambrey said the tanker in question was owned by the United Kingdom until November 2023.
Its current owner is registered in Seychelles and was engaged in Russia-related trade – traveling from the Russian city of Primorsk to Vadinar in the Indian state of Gujarat when the attack took place.
Ambrey advised vessel owners and operators to conduct a “thorough check of their affiliation” before transiting the area “as the Houthis may associate vessels with outdated affiliations.”
Since November, the rebel group has carried out attacks on ships it says are linked to Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, saying their actions are in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
In response, the US and UK have carried out a series of attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen, leading the Houthis to retaliate against ships they suspect of being linked to those countries.
Rebel attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea have prompted many shipping companies to stop using the waterway, through which about 12 percent of global maritime trade passes.
