Yemen’s Houthi faction declared on Saturday that their missiles struck the Andromeda Star oil tanker in the Red Sea, adding to their recent string of attacks on commercial vessels in solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.
Confirming the incident, U.S. Central Command acknowledged that the Iran-backed Houthis launched three ballistic missiles aimed at ships in the Red Sea from Yemen, resulting in minor damage to the Andromeda Star.
According to British maritime security firm Ambrey, the master of the vessel reported damage, while another missile targeted the MV Maisha nearby, though it remained unscathed, as per U.S. Central Command’s update on the social media platform X.
Although Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea claimed the Andromeda Star was British-owned, shipping data contradicts, indicating recent ownership change to a Seychelles registration. The tanker, involved in trade linked to Russia, was sailing from Primorsk to Vadinar, India, Ambrey confirmed.
Houthi insurgents, aligned with Iran, have persistently launched drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and Gulf of Aden since November. This ongoing assault has compelled shippers to reroute cargo, leading to longer and costlier journeys around southern Africa, raising concerns of wider destabilization amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The strike on the Andromeda Star follows a temporary cessation in Houthi actions targeting vessels associated with Israel, the United States, and Britain.
Coinciding with these events, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier departed the Red Sea via the Suez Canal on Friday after supporting a U.S.-led coalition’s efforts to safeguard commercial shipping.
On the same day, the Houthis asserted the downing of an American MQ-9 drone within Yemen’s Saada province airspace.
