The Houthis claimed the attack early Saturday in a pre-recorded statement aired by the rebels. Friday's attack is the latest on an offensive carried out by the rebels to show their support toward Palestinians in Gaza.
ADVERTISEMENTYemen's Houthi rebels fired ballistic missiles that caused "minor damage" to a Panama-flagged oil tanker travelling through the Red Sea on Friday, US authorities announced.
The rebels fired three missiles in the attack, one of which damaged the Panama-flagged, Seychelles-registered Andromeda Star, the US military's Central Command said.
The private security firm Ambrey described the tanker as being “engaged in Russia-linked trade.” The vessel was traveling from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar, India, Ambrey said.
Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack early Saturday in a pre-recorded statement aired by the rebels. He described the tanker as being “directly hit.”
Another vessel, the Antiqua-Barbados-flagged, Liberia-operated Maisha, was also nearby at the time of the assault, US officials said. The attack occurred off Mocha, Yemen, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on ships since November. They have also seized one vessel and sank another, according to the US Maritime Administration.
Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a US-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined due to the threat.
American officials have speculated the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the US-led campaign against them. They have been firing drones and missiles steadily at the group in the last months.
Yet, since Wednesday, there have been at least two other attacks claimed by the Houthis. The first targeted the MV Yorktown, a US-flagged owned and operated vessel. Another targeted the MSC Darwin.
The Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians.
Most of the ships targeted by the Houthis have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the US, or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.