The Yemeni Houthi rebels attacked the British oil tanker "Andromeda Star" in the Red Sea, the military spokesman of the Iran-backed group, Yahya Saria, announced today in a televised statement, quoted by Reuters and BTA.
The Houthis also claimed to have shot down an American MQ-9 "Reaper" drone. (MQ-9 Reaper) over the Yemeni province of Saada.
Yesterday the British security company "Ambri" reported that three missiles were spotted about 15 nautical miles (about 30 km) southwest of the Yemeni port city of Moha. The British Maritime Merchant Operations Office (UKMTO) announced that one vessel had been damaged.
"The captain has reported two attacks. "In the first attack, there was an explosion right next to the ship and it was felt by the crew," UKMTO noted. There was also a second attack on the vessel, which is believed to have been carried out with two missiles and resulted in damage to the vessel, the service added.
The tanker, which was not named, was traveling from Primorsk in Russia to Vadinar, India when it was attacked, Ambri said in a statement.
"A Panamanian-flagged vessel that was British-owned before changing hands in November 2023 was the closest to the observed location,"Ambri explained.
The owner of the ship is currently registered in the Seychelles and has been involved in trade related to Russia," the British security firm noted about the attacked tanker. In her message, she stated that the vessel was transmitting an Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal.