Swift retaliation: Houthi strike targets British oil tanker, prompting response from US and UK forces

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

"We are on fire."

The British oil tanker Marlin Luanda issued a distress call after being targeted by Houthis in the Gulf of Aden on Friday. The rebels had previously threatened to strike British and American ships in the Red Sea, as well as those en route to Israel.

The military spokesperson for the Houthi movement, Yahya Saree, claimed responsibility for the attack, framing it as a response to American and British aggression against Yemen and in support of the Palestinian cause. The strike, executed with precision naval missiles, resulted in the immediate ignition of the vessel.

According to US media outlets, the Marlin Luanda, which had recently traversed the Suez Canal from Morocco to Singapore, suffered substantial damage.

The operating company confirmed to LBCI that no injuries were reported among the 27 crew members, predominantly of Indian nationality, who had not abandoned the ship.

The blaze raged for nearly 20 hours before US, French, and Indian vessels managed to extinguish the fire. The damaged tanker was subsequently escorted to a safe port, the location of which has not been disclosed by the operating company.

The Houthi strike on an oil tanker marks the first of its kind since the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

What are the potential environmental repercussions if the tanker's 80,000-ton cargo leaks into the sea?

In response to the attack, the US and British forces promptly retaliated.

According to Houthi-affiliated channel Al-Masirah, the United States and Britain conducted two airstrikes targeting the main oil-exporting station in Yemen's Ras Isa port.