A crude oil tanker was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen’s rebel-held city of Mokha overlooking the strategic Bab Al-Mandeb strait, maritime security firm Ambrey said Saturday.
“A Panama-flagged crude oil tanker was reportedly ‘attacked’” about 10 nautical miles southwest of Mokha, Ambrey said, adding that information “indicated the vessel was hit by a missile and that there was a fire in the steering gear flat.”
The British navy’s maritime security agency (UKMTO) had earlier said it received a report of a vessel “sustaining slight damage after being struck by an unknown object.”
It said the incident occurred 76 nautical miles (140 kilometers) off Yemen’s Hodeidah, without specifying the type of vessel involved.
Earlier on Friday the Houthi rebels claimed to have shot down an American drone, hours after footage circulated online of what appeared to be the wreckage of an MQ-9 Predator drone. The US military did not immediately acknowledge the incident.
If confirmed, this would be yet another Predator downed by the Houthis.
Online video showed wreckage resembling the pieces of the Predator, as well as footage of that wreckage on fire.
The US military did not respond to a request for comment over the Houthi claim.