An oil tanker en route to India was hit by a missile in the Red Sea, the US State Department said on Friday.
The US State Department said the missile, launched from Yemen, hit the MT Pollux.
The British Maritime Trade Commission and British maritime security firm Ambrey said earlier on Friday that a Panamanian-flagged tanker struck 72 nautical miles northwest of the port of Moga off the coast of Yemen and suffered minor damage. The crew was unharmed.
A ministry spokesman said: “This is yet another example of illegal attacks on international shipping, which continue despite several international joint statements calling on the Houthis to stop.”
The MT Pollux left the Russian Black Sea city of Novorossiysk en route to India's Paradip on January 24. It is owned by Oceanfront Maritime Co and operated by Merchant Marine, according to London Stock Exchange Group data.
Embry added that another ship was changing course 3 nautical miles northeast of the tanker to port and away from the tanker.
The strike coincided with the official entry of the United States' decision to relist the Houthis as “terrorists” because of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
Al-Houthi threatens
On Thursday, the head of the Ansar Allah group, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, vowed to continue the naval strikes as long as the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip continues, committing the most heinous crimes.
He added, “The Americans are primarily responsible for the level of destruction and crime in Gaza and its continuation throughout this period. Without American support, the Israelis would not have committed these destruction and horrific crimes against Gaza.”
For his part, the group's spokesman, Muhammad Abdel Salam, said the US decision to reimpose sanctions on the group was due to Yemen's stance in favor of Palestine.
The speaker added that the purpose of the sanctions is to provide greater security to Israel, as Washington is doing politically and militarily on more than one level.
Abdel Salam stressed that the sanctions would not affect the group's firm position in support of the Palestinian people.
Since early December, the Houthi group has been responsible for targeting more than 20 ships in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Straits using missiles and drones as part of operations to intercept Israeli vessels. transit to Israeli ports.
This comes amid an escalation in the region due to Israel's occupation of the Gaza Strip for more than 4 months.
