- Written by Kathryn Armstrong
- BBC News
image source, Getty Images
A recent missile attack by the Houthis damaged an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen.
The incident occurred about 15 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni city of Mokha.
Britain's maritime security agency UKMTO reported that the Panamanian-flagged vessel was attacked twice and sustained damage.
No injuries or deaths were reported and the incident remains under investigation.
The first missile strike caused an explosion near the ship, which was also felt by the crew, UKMTO said. The second attack is believed to have involved two missiles that made contact.
Global risk management firm Ambry announced that three missiles had been sighted.
It added that a ballistic missile was reportedly launched from Taiz governorate in southwestern Yemen.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack. The group's military spokesman Yahya Saleh said in a televised address on Saturday that a “British” ship called the Andromeda Star had been targeted and suffered a “direct hit.”
U.S. Central Command confirmed that the Andromeda Star was the ship in question, sustained minor damage and was continuing to sail.
According to Ambry reports, the tanker in question was owned by the UK until November 2023.
The current owners are registered in the Seychelles and engaged in Russian-related trade, and were traveling from the Russian town of Primorye to Badinar in the Indian state of Gujarat at the time of the attack.
Ambry advised ship owners and operators to carry out “thorough affiliation checks” before transiting the area, as “the Houthis may associate ships with old affiliations”.
Since November, the rebels have carried out attacks on ships they say are linked to Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, saying their actions are supporting Palestinians in Gaza.
In response, the United States and Britain have carried out a series of attacks against Houthi targets in Yemen, leading the group to retaliate against ships believed to have ties to those countries.
Rebel attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea have prompted many shipping companies to suspend use of the waterway, through which about 12% of the world's maritime trade passes.
