A tanker that was hit by a missile off the coast of Yemen was as a result of make a cease in Israel, its homeowners have confirmed.
The MT Strinda was attacked within the Red Sea close to the port metropolis of Mokha on Monday evening.
The ship caught hearth however the crew on board managed to convey the blaze underneath management and there have been no reviews of any accidents.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed accountability for the assault and stated the Norwegian-owned ship was heading to Israel.
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Shipping agency Mowinckel had earlier stated the vessel was carrying biofuel from Malaysia to Italy by way of the Suez Canal.
But it has now admitted it was additionally “tentatively” scheduled to make a cease on the Israeli port of Ashdod.
“Upon the recommendation of our security advisers, it was decided to withhold this information until the vessel and her crew were in safe waters,” the corporate stated in a press release on Tuesday.
The ship and its crew have now travelled to a “safe port”, a spokesperson added.
It comes amid a rising variety of assaults on ships within the Red Sea by Houthi rebels as they try to put strain on Israel to cease bombing the Gaza Strip.
Houthi spokesperson Brigadier Yahya Saree stated the group fired a missile after which used a drone to assault the vessel after it “rejected all warning calls.”
He added: “The Yemeni armed forces continue to prevent Israeli ships from navigating the Red Sea until the Israeli aggression against our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip stops.
“The Yemeni armed forces renew their warning to all Israeli ships or these related to Israelis, that they’ll turn out to be a reliable goal in the event that they violate what’s acknowledged on this assertion.”
In a press release, Mowinckel stated: “There is no Israeli link to the ownership or the management of the vessel. She was, however, tentatively nominated by her charterers for a cargo out of Ashdod in January.
“The contract was entered into three weeks in the past, topic to no additional escalations within the space. Owners had an choice to cancel the contract if such a worsening of the scenario would happen.”
Control of Yemen is split between Iran-backed Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed government forces, with British military support. The country has been locked in a devastating civil war in recent years although a tentative truce is currently in place.
Earlier this month Houthi rebels also claimed responsibility for drone and missile attacks on three commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The US described the bombardment as being “totally enabled by Iran” and added that it would “think about all applicable responses”.
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In November, the Houthis additionally seized a cargo ship allegedly linked to Israel within the Red Sea which they’re nonetheless holding close to the port metropolis of Hodeida.
The current army exercise has raised fears of a wider escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict and issues that different ships heading to and from the Suez Canal is also hit, doubtlessly disrupting international provide chains.
Israel’s nationwide safety adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, stated over the weekend that Israel had known as on its Western allies to assist deal with assaults from Yemen. He added that Israel would “act to remove this blockade” if the threats continued.
Source: information.sky.com”