US military destroys Houthi anti-ship missile after oil tanker attack

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The US says it has destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that posed an “imminent threat” to its Navy.

The strike comes after the rebels claimed an attack on an oil tanker within the Gulf of Aden.

In response the UK authorities stated Britain and its allies, which embrace the US, “reserve the right to respond appropriately”.

Announcing the newest strike, the US stated the missile was aimed in the direction of the Red Sea and able to launch.

It “presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region,” US central command stated in an announcement on X.

The missile was recognized in a Houthi-controlled a part of Yemen. The US stated it had “struck and destroyed the missile in self-defence”, including that this “action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels.”

Overnight a UK govermment spokesperson stated: “We are aware of reports that the M/V Marlin Luanda, a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, has sustained damage from attack in the Gulf of Aden. Current reports suggest no casualties and nearby coalition vessels are on the scene.

“We have been clear that any attacks on commercial shipping are completely unacceptable and that the UK and our allies reserve the right to respond appropriately.”