An oil tanker is on fire in the Gulf of Aden, its operator says, after Houthis said they hit it with a missile.<\/p>\n
The Yemeni movement said it targeted the Marlin Luanda on Friday evening.<\/p>\n
Operator Trafigura told the BBC the strike caused a fire in one of the ship’s cargo tanks and firefighting equipment was being used to contain it.<\/p>\n
US officials told the BBC’s US partner CBS the tanker was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile and a naval ship was responding to its distress signal.<\/p>\n
The officials said no injuries were reported.<\/p>\n
It is the latest attack on commercial shipping by the Iran-backed Houthis in and around the Red Sea.<\/p>\n
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that the incident happened 60 nautical miles south-east of Aden.<\/p>\n
The UKMTO said warships were in attendance and supporting the vessel, adding all crew had been reported safe.<\/p>\n
It warned other vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.<\/p>\n
Later the US Central Command said its forces had conducted a strike at 03:45 local time (00:45 GMT) Saturday “against a Houthi anti-ship missile aimed into the Red Sea and which was prepared to launch”. They “destroyed the missile in self-defence”.<\/p>\n
Trafigura earlier confirmed the Marlin Luanda tanker had been struck by a missile on Friday and military ships were on their way to provide assistance.<\/p>\n
“Firefighting equipment on board is being deployed to suppress and control the fire caused in one cargo tank on the starboard side,” a Trafigura spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
“The safety of the crew is our foremost priority. We remain in contact with the vessel and are monitoring the situation carefully.”<\/p>\n
The oil tanker is flagged with the Marshall Islands.<\/p>\n
Houthi military spokesman Yaha Sarea said the group used “a number of appropriate naval missiles” and Friday’s strike was “direct”.<\/p>\n
It follows an earlier incident on Friday in which the UKMTO reported that two missiles exploding in the water near a vessel located south-west of Aden.<\/p>\n
Since November, the Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on commercial vessels travelling through the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is fighting Hamas.<\/p>\n
The US and UK have launched air strikes on the group in response to its attacks, prompting the Houthis to warn they would increase their attacks on shipping.<\/p>\n
The UK and US are also targeting the Houthis with sanctions to cut off their financial resources.<\/p>\n