Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday launched an attack on a Liberian-flagged chemical tanker, the Olympic Spirit, in the Red Sea, The Associated Press reported.
The incident is part of a broader pattern of rebel assaults on shipping lanes in the region, which are heavily used for global trade.
The Olympic Spirit was navigating along East Africa’s coastline when it was struck by a projectile, damaging the vessel but causing no fire or injuries, according to AP. Later, three more projectiles landed in the water near the tanker.
The attack occurred at some distance from Hodeida, a port controlled by the Houthis, which has been a launch point for several of their operations.
Houthi military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility for the attack in a video statement, saying the group had fired ballistic missiles at the tanker.
A private security firm, Ambrey, commented on the Thursday attack, noting that the Olympic Spirit aligned with the typical profile of Houthi targets, though no further details were provided.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have upped their attacks in the region since the start of the war in Gaza last October, having launched drones towards Israel and targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea region.
In the wake of the uptick in Houthi attacks, the US formed a coalition, made up of more than 20 countries, aimed at safeguarding commercial traffic in the Red Sea from attacks by the Houthis.
The Houthis have been unfazed by the strikes, saying that the campaign against the "Zionist enemy" will continue and that the attacks against the American and British ships will not stop.