Attack on Norwegian oil tanker claimed by Houthis
Yemen’s Houthis said on Tuesday they carried out a military operation against the Norwegian commercial tanker Strinda in their latest protest against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
The group hit the tanker with a rocket because it was delivering crude oil to an Israeli terminal and after its crew ignored all warnings, Houthi military spokesperson Yehia Sarea said.
But the tanker’s owner, Mowinckel Chemical Tankers, said the vessel was headed to Italy with a cargo of palm oil to be used in biofuels. It was not planning to stop in Israel, a company spokesperson said.
The Strinda had loaded vegetable oil and biofuels in Malaysia and was headed for Venice, data from shiptracking firm Kpler shows.
Houthi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli government.
The Houthis have waded into the Israel-Hamas conflict, which has spread in the Middle East since October 7, attacking vessels in shipping lanes and firing drones and missiles at Israel.
THE VESSEL WAS HEADED TO ITALY WITH PALM OIL TO BE USED IN BIOFUELS. IT WAS NOT PLANNING TO STOP IN ISRAEL, THE COMPANY SAID
On Saturday, they said they would target all ships heading to Israel, regardless of their nationality, and warned international shipping companies against dealing with Israeli ports.
The spokesperson vowed the group will keep blocking ships heading to Israeli ports until Israel allows food and medical aid into the Gaza Strip, more than 1,700km from the Houthi seat of power in Sanaa.
The attack on the tanker Strinda took place about 110km north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, a US official said. A second US official said the Strinda was able to move under its own power in the hours after the attack.
“There were no US ships in the vicinity at the time of the attack, but the [US Navy destroyer] USS Mason responded to the Strinda’s mayday call and is now rendering assistance,” the US military’s Central Command, which oversees forces in the Middle East, said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
The attack caused a fire and damage but no casualties, the US military said.
The Houthi spokesperson said that the group has managed to obstruct the passage of several ships in recent days, acting in support of the Palestinians.
The chemical tanker is now headed for a safe port and its crew of 22 from India are all unhurt, Mowinckel chair Geir Belsnes said. The tanker’s manager, Hansa Tankers, could not be reached for comment.
The Houthis are one of several groups in the Iran-aligned “Axis of Resistance” that have been taking aim at Israeli and US targets since their Palestinian ally Hamas attacked Israel.
During the first week of December, three commercial vessels came under attack in international waters, prompting a US Navy destroyer to intervene. In November, the Houthis seized a UK-owned cargo ship with ties to an Israeli company.
The US and Britain have condemned the attacks on shipping, blaming Iran for its role in supporting the Houthis. Tehran says its allies make their decisions independently.
Saudi Arabia has asked the US to show restraint in responding to the attacks.