Houthi Missile Strikes Ship Sailing Through Red Sea, US Says

A tanker in the Red Sea battled a fire after being struck by a missile launched from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen, according to the US military, raising shipping security risks in the crucial waterway for global trade.

The incident is the latest involving the Iran-backed Houthi militants, who have signaled their support for Hamas in its war with Israel by launching missiles and drones at ships sailing in the region and at targets in Israel. Hamas, which attacked Israel on Oct. 7, is designated as a terrorist group by the European Union and US.

An anti-ship cruise missile struck the M/T Strinda on Monday afternoon local time as it passed through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait which separates East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula, US Central Command said in a statement on X.

The Norwegian-flagged Strinda, which usually carries oil products, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, reported damage causing a fire on board, but no casualties.

The destroyer USS Mason responded to the Strinda’s distress call, according to Centcom.

The Houthis have said they would attack ships that have links to or sailing toward Israel, describing them as “legitimate targets.” Other Iran-backed militant groups in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria have been launching missiles toward Israel to pressure the Jewish state to halt its attack on the Gaza Strip, which is governed by Hamas.

The Houthis have not claimed the attack Monday. The group’s spokesperson said they would issue a statement in the coming hours.

Geir Belsnes, the chief executive officer of the Strinda’s operator, J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, also confirmed the attack took place, according to the Associated Press. The Strinda was coming from Malaysia and was bound for the Suez Canal.

“The vessel is now proceeding to a safe port,” Belsnes said, AP reported.

The US has been in talks with its Gulf allies about potential military action against the Yemeni group in response to their increasingly brazen attacks on ships.

Deputy US National Security Adviser Jon Finer has said that the Biden administration has “not ruled out the possibility of taking military action” against the Houthis but the focus for now is on assembling a maritime coalition to secure the Red Sea — a conduit for 12% of world trade and the bulk of Middle East energy supplies to Europe.

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