Ambrey says the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker was attacked southwest of the Yemeni Mokha

British security firm Ambrey said on Saturday it had received information that a Panamanian-flagged oil tanker had been attacked about 10 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s Mokha.

Ambrey said radio communications indicated the ship had been hit by a missile and there was a fire on board. Details about the communication were not provided.

Yemen’s Houthi militia, which controls Yemen’s most populous parts and has ties to Iran, has been carrying out months of attacks on ships in the waters off the country’s coast in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza.

Vessels in the area were advised to exercise caution and report suspicious activity, Ambrey added in an advisory note.

Earlier on Saturday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said a ship in the Red Sea was struck by an unknown object and suffered minor damage.

“The ship and crew are safe and proceeding to the next port of call,” UKMTO said in an advisory note, adding that the incident occurred 76 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah.

Months of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, forced companies to shift routes to longer and more expensive voyages through southern Africa, and fueled fears that the war between Israel and Hamas could spread and could destabilize the wider Middle East.

The United States and Britain have carried out strikes on Houthi targets in response to the attacks on shipping.

(Reuters)