A Norwegian-flagged chemical tanker has been hit by an anti-ship missile in international waters in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait off the coast of Yemen, the U.S. has confirmed.
The U.S. Central Command reported the attack on the MT Strinda, a ship owned by Mowinckel Chemical Tankers AS based in Norway, at around 4 p.m. EST on December 11.
Officials have determined that the ship was struck by Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM) launched from a Houthi controlled area of Yemen while passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb.
The Strinda reported damage and a fire on-board, but so far no casualties have been reported. The report said there were no US ships in the area at the time of the attack, but the USS Mason responded to the Strinda’s mayday call and is rendering assistance. The severity of the fire is unknown.
The incident was first reported by the UK Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO) office which reported the attack took place at 2100 UTC (midnight local time) in the vicinity of the Bab El Bandeb about 15 nautical miles west of port Mokha, Yemen.
UKMTO later issued a separate report of auspicious activity after a vessel was contacted by individuals identifying themselves as the Yemeni Navy and ordering that the vessel alter course to Yemen. The UKMTO does not identify vessels in its updates, so it is unclear if this vessel was also the Strinda.
The incident comes after Houthi leaders over the weekend threatened attacks on all ships travelling to or from Israel, and previous threats against any Israeli-linked ships in the region.
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