Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group has claimed a new missile attack on Western interests amid Israel’s war on Gaza, this time on a British oil tanker that the United States identified as a Panamanian-flagged vessel carrying crude oil bound for India.
Yahya Saree, the group’s military spokesperson, said in a televised statement on Saturday that a “large number of appropriate naval missiles” were used to target the Pollux tanker in the Red Sea in “accurate and direct” hits.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to implement and expand their military operations in defence of beloved Yemen and in confirmation of continued practical solidarity with the Palestinian people,” he said.
Saree did not say how much damage the tanker sustained, or provide further details.
Late on Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed an incident about 70 nautical miles (130km) northwest of al-Mukha (Mocha), a port city southwest of Yemen’s capital, Sanaa.
The “vessel was attacked by a missile and reports an explosion in close proximity. Military authorities are responding,” it said, adding that the crew and vessel were reported to be safe.
(Aljazeera)
