Before Yemen - Norwegian tanker hit by Huthi rebel cruise missile - US destroyer rushes to help
According to US reports, a Norwegian tanker has been hit by a missile fired by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen. The cruise missile hit the tanker "Strinda" on Tuesday night (local time) as it was passing through the strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, causing damage and a fire, according to the US Central Command Centcom. However, there were no reports of deaths or injuries.
The anti-ship cruise missile was fired from an area in Yemen controlled by the Huthi rebels, Centcom explained in the short message service X, formerly Twitter. According to the statement, the Norwegian-flagged "Strinda" sent out a distress call and the US warship "USS Mason" rushed to the tanker to provide assistance.
Attack on the oil route
Since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas, the Houthi militia in Yemen has repeatedly fired drones and missiles at Israel and attacked ships in the Red Sea. On Saturday, the Iran-backed rebels threatened further attacks on ships in the Red Sea heading for Israel if humanitarian aid does not reach the Gaza Strip. The Houthi rebels see themselves as part of the self-proclaimed "Axis of Resistance" directed against Israel.
The Bab-al-Mandeb strait, where the "Strinda" was attacked, lies between Djibouti and Yemen and connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. It is of great importance for global maritime trade, particularly for the transportation of oil.
The approximately 144-metre-long "Strinda", which belongs to the Norwegian company Mowinckel Chemical Tankers, was on its way to the Suez Canal, which connects the north of the Red Sea with the Mediterranean, at the time of the attack.
Read also:
- Snow chaos further restricts Bavaria
- Unanimous decision: faster wolf culls possible
- The year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Snow and ice paralyze southern Germany
The Houthi rebels, who have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and threatening further actions against Israel-bound vessels, claim the Bab-al-Mandeb strait, which connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is crucial for global maritime trade, as their operational base. Israel, facing repeated Houthi missile attacks, has been urging international action to secure the region's oil routes, including the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Source: www.stern.de
