UK oil tanker heading towards Israeli occupied territory on fire after Houthi missile attack

An oil tanker belonging to United Kingdom is on fire in the Gulf of Aden after Yemen's Armed Forces (Houthis) said they hit it with a missile in protest against UK’s support to on going Israeli aggression against Palestinians. 

Houthis reported striking a British oil tanker heading towards the occupied territories, in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who are enduring a genocidal US and UK-backed Israeli war.

The forces "carried out an operation targeting a British oil tanker 'Marlin Luanda' in the Gulf of Aden, using a number of appropriate naval missiles," spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a video statement on Friday.

"The hit was direct, leading to its burning," he added.

Operator Trafigura told the BBC the strike caused a fire in one of the ship's cargo tanks and fire fighting equipment was being used to contain it.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said that the incident happened 60 nautical miles south-east of Aden.

The UKMTO said warships were in attendance and supporting the vessel, adding all crew had been reported safe.

Over the past month, the forces and Yemen's Ansarullah popular resistance movement have been staging many such strikes against Israeli vessels or those bound for the occupied Palestinian territories' ports.

The operations have been described as a response to the October 7, 2023-present war and siege that the Israeli regime has been waging against Gaza following an operation carried out by the Palestinian territory's resistance movements.

More than 26,000 Palestinians, some 70 percent of whom are women, children, and adolescents, have been killed in the brutal onslaught so far, while upwards of 64,100 others have been injured.

Saree said the forces would continue their operations "until the aggression is stopped and food and medicine are allowed [to flow towards] the besieged Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."

The United States and the UK have also conducted several missile attacks against Yemeni targets in response to the Yemeni strikes.

The spokesman said, "The Yemeni Armed Forces affirm their adoption of all military measures within the right to defend beloved Yemen and to emphasize the ongoing practical solidarity with the Palestinian people."