Yemeni Forces claim attack on Strinda oil tanker headed to 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Yemeni Armed Forces telegram channel
12 Dec 2023 09:51
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The Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson highlights that the "Israel"-bound Norwegian-flagged oil tanker was only targeted after its crew had rejected all warning calls.

Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree - undated- (Mehr News Agency)

In a televised statement, Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree confirmed that the naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces targeted an oil tanker with a missile strike.

"In support of our Palestinian people, amid their grave plight, who are currently facing death, destruction, and siege in the Gaza Strip, and in response to the calls of the free people of Yemen and the free people of our Umma, the naval forces have executed a top-tier military operation against the Norwegian 'Strinda' ship," his statement opened up.

The Norwegian-flagged ship was loaded with oil and headed to the ports of the Israeli occupation, General Saree announced in the statement.

The Yemeni Armed Forces succeeded in the past two days in enforcing the ban they had declared earlier this week without the need for military action.

The statement emphasized that the "Strinda" oil tanker was only targeted with a missile after the crew rejected all warning calls.

"The Yemeni armed forces will not hesitate to target any ship that violates the directions in previous statements," he stressed.

Prior to the Yemeni statement, the US CENTCOM stated that "the Motor Tanker STRINDA was attacked by what is assessed to have been an Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM)" launched from an area of Yemen controlled by Ansar Allah while passing through Bab al-Mandab Strait.

CENTCOM Statement on missile attack in the Bab-el-Mandeb
At around 4 p.m. EST on December 11, the Motor Tanker STRINDA was attacked by what is assessed to have been an Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM) launched from a Houthi controlled area of Yemen while passing through the… pic.twitter.com/OJDoubAU2D
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) December 12, 2023

Earlier today, the British Maritime Trade Operations Department said a fire broke out on board a ship near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, off the Yemeni coast.

The administration stated on its website that the incident took place 15 miles west of the port of Mokha in Yemen and is currently under investigation. Additionally, it was reported that all crew members of the affected ship were safe.

This statement coincided with the announcement made by the official spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, who posted on the X platform, "An important statement from the Yemeni Armed Forces in the coming hours."

On Sunday, the Yemeni Armed Forces announced the introduction of a new actionable decision in support of Gaza, which will see the prohibition of all ships bound to the occupation entity, regardless of their nationality, from passing through the Arabian and Red seas until food and medicine sufficient to the needs of the population enter the besieged Strip.

In a statement, Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree declared that this prohibition is "effective immediately," noting that Sanaa, "out of its commitment to the safety of maritime navigation, warns all ships and companies against dealing with Israeli ports."

"The Yemeni Armed Forces emphasize their full commitment to the continuity of global trade movement through the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea for all ships and all countries, except those ships associated with Israel or those that will transport goods" to the occupation entity.

In an earlier statement, on November 19, the Yemeni Armed Forces Spokesperson, Yahya Saree, announced the Forces' intention to target any ships owned or operated by Israeli companies or bearing the Israeli flag. This statement, made on the group's Telegram channel, also included a call for all nations to withdraw their citizens employed in the crews of any such ships.

"We urge all countries to avoid shipping on vessels owned by Israeli companies or operated by them," he further stressed.

This comes alongside other attacks claimed by Yemen against Israeli targets, including the launch of long-range cruise missiles and attack drones on several occasions, as well as ballistic missiles at "Eilat" located in the southernmost region of occupied Palestine.