Yemen’s Houthi rebels have intensified their attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, hitting a fuel tanker operated by Trafigura with a missile on Friday and causing a fire on board.
The tanker, Marlin Luanda, was carrying Russian naphtha when it was struck by a missile as it transited the Red Sea, according to Trafigura.
The company said firefighting equipment on board was being deployed to suppress and control the fire in one cargo tank on the starboard side. No injuries or casualties were reported.
The Houthi military spokesperson claimed responsibility for the attack, saying naval forces targeted the “British” tanker in the Gulf of Aden.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency confirmed the incident and said coalition warships were in attendance and supporting the vessel.
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The attack on the Marlin Luanda was the latest in a series of Houthi strikes on ships in the Red Sea since November, in what the rebels say is a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
The Houthi campaign has disrupted international shipping and forced some companies to suspend transits through the Red Sea and take longer, more expensive routes around Africa.
The US and British militaries have launched retaliatory air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, where the rebels control most of the population and territory.
The US military said it shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen on Friday, adding there were no injuries or damage from the interception.
Yemen has been mired in a civil war since 2014, when the Houthis ousted the internationally recognized government and seized the capital, Sanaa.
A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to restore the government, but the conflict has created a humanitarian crisis and a stalemate on the ground.