- US destroys Houthi missile in ‘self-defence’
A Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile struck an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden yesterday, the US military has confirmed.
The Marlin Luana caught fire after the attack last night, with the Houthi group later claiming responsibility for the strike.
In a statement released in the early hours of this morning, US Central Command said the Martin Islands-flagged ship was hit by an anti-ship missile fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
The vessel, which was understood to have been loaded with a flammable liquid called naphtha, “issued a distress call and reported damage,” it said.
There were no injuries, but the crew boarded lifeboats as a precaution, American officials told Sky’s US partner NBC News.
USS Carney and a French frigate responded to the ship’s distress call.
The incident happened 60 nautical miles southeast of Aden in Yemen, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO), which oversees the area.
Meanwhile, efforts are still ongoing to control the fire aboard the attacked tanker, its operator has said.
In a new statement this morning, Trafigura said no injuries or casualties have been reported among the crew of the Marlin Luanda.
“The crew is continuing efforts to control the fire in one of the ship’s cargo tanks with support from military vessels,” it said.
“The safety of the crew remains our utmost priority.”
In response, the US said it carried out a “self-defence” strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile aimed into the Red Sea.
The missile had been “prepared to launch,” according to US Central Command.
“US forces identified the missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, and determined it presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region,” it said.
“Forces subsequently struck and destroyed the missile in self-defence.”