Yemeni Forces Target Israel-Bound Tanker Ship in Missile Strike
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Yemeni Armed Forces asserted responsibility for a missile attack on the Norwegian-flagged tanker Strinda in the Red Sea en route to an Israeli port, citing solidarity with Palestinians amid ongoing conflict.
During a live press briefing from Sanaa, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesman for the Yemeni Armed Forces, hailed the strike on the oil tanker as a victory for Palestinians enduring an Israeli massacre.
Saree emphasized the strike as a response to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and aligned with the calls for support from Yemen and other Muslim nations. The strike was “a victory for the oppressed Palestinian people, who are currently being subjected to massacre, destruction, and siege in the Gaza Strip, and in response to the calls from freedom-loving Yemenis and people from other Muslim nations,” Saree said.
The military spokesman detailed that Yemeni forces utilized a naval cruise missile to target the ship near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. He mentioned that Yemeni forces had previously blocked several Israel-bound ships over the past two days.
Highlighting the sequence of warnings issued to the Strinda’s crew, Saree clarified that the decision to target the Norwegian-flagged vessel came after repeated calls to halt went unheeded.
Saree sternly warned of continued targeting of ships in the Red and Arabian Seas bound for Israeli ports unless Gaza receives essential supplies, asserting the Yemeni Armed Forces' unwavering commitment to their cause.
Earlier, the US military's Central Command confirmed the attack, attributing it to an anti-ship cruise missile launched from Yemen. “There were no US ships in the vicinity at the time of the attack, but the USS Mason responded … and is currently rendering assistance,” the statement said.
Private intelligence firms Ambrey and Dryad Global verified the attack near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical passage between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Yemen has expressed solidarity with Palestine against Israeli occupation, intensifying actions following Israel’s devastating war on Gaza. The Israeli atrocities has claimed thousands of lives, predominantly women and children, in Gaza and left tens of thousands wounded.
Recent events have led Israeli shipping companies to reroute vessels due to fears of Yemeni force attacks, while Yemeni forces have initiated missile and drone strikes on Israeli-occupied territories following Gaza's turmoil.
