The Houthis of Yemen persisted in their attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea during the Israel-Gaza conflict. The Andromeda Star oil tanker in the Red Sea was struck by missiles fired by the Houthis, who are supported by Iran, on Saturday. The tanker was traveling from Vadinar, India, to Primorsk, Russia.
According to US Central Command, the Houthis fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Red Sea from Yemen, slightly damaging an oil tanker.
It said that a missile landed in the vicinity of a second vessel, the MV Maisha, but it was not damaged.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations security agency said the attack took place southwest of the Yemeni port of Mokha. The second attack on the vessel consisted of what is believed to be two missiles, which resulted in damage, it added.
According to Reuters, Andromeda Star’s current owner is Seychelles-registered. The tanker is engaged in Russia-linked trade.
Houthi militants have launched repeated drone and missile strikes in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden since November, forcing shippers to re-route cargo to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa.
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They target ships with ties to Israel, the United States and Britain.
The Houthis on Friday said they downed an American MQ-9 drone in the airspace of Yemen’s Saada province.
Houthis have said they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s Red Sea coast, are part of an “axis of resistance” made up of Iran allies and proxies targeting Israel over its war against Hamas. The Houthis attacks have drawn reprisal strikes from the United States and Britain since January.
The Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.
