The Houthi group targets Israeli ships or those heading to Israeli ports (French)
The US State Department said on Friday that an oil tanker was attacked by a missile in the Red Sea while it was on its way to India.
The US State Department stated that the missile was launched from Yemen and hit the MT Pollux ship.
The British Maritime Trade Operations Authority and the British maritime security company Ambrey reported earlier on Friday that a tanker flying the Panama flag was hit in an attack 72 nautical miles northwest of the port of Mokha off the coast of Yemen. It sustained minor damage and its crew was not harmed.
A ministry spokesman said, "This is another example of illegal attacks on international shipping, which continue after the issuance of several international joint statements calling on the Houthis to stop."
MT Pollux sailed from the Russian city of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea on January 24 on its way to Paradip, India. It is owned by Oceanfront Maritime Co and operated by Sea Trade Marine, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group.
Embry added that another ship was seen 3 nautical miles to the northeast of the tanker, changing course to the port and away from the tanker.
The strike coincided with the official entry into force of the United States' decision to re-list the Houthis on the "terrorist" list, due to their attacks on shipping traffic in the Red Sea.
Al-Houthi threatens
On Thursday, the leader of the Ansar Allah group, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, vowed to continue naval attacks as long as the Israeli aggression, which is committing the most heinous crimes in the Gaza Strip, continues.
He added, "The Americans are primarily responsible for the level of destruction and crime in Gaza and its continuation for all this time, and the Israelis would not have inflicted all this destruction and terrible crimes on Gaza if it were not for American support."
For his part, the group's spokesman, Muhammad Abdel Salam, said that the United States' decision to reimpose sanctions on the group came because of Yemen's position in support of Palestine.
The spokesman added that the aim of the sanctions is to provide more protection for Israel, similar to what Washington is doing politically and militarily and on more than one level.
Abdel Salam stressed that the sanctions will not affect the group’s firm position in supporting the Palestinian people.
Since the beginning of last December, the Houthi group has claimed responsibility for targeting more than 20 ships in the areas of the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, using missiles and drones, as part of its measures to prevent Israeli ships or those heading to Israeli ports from passing.
This comes in the context of the escalation the region is witnessing due to the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip for more than 4 months.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies