Houthi attacks on vessels off Yemen require int'l solution: Pentagon

WASHINGTON

The Pentagon on Tuesday called attacks by Houthi rebels on commercial vessels "destabilizing" after a Norwegian-flagged oil tanker bound for Israel was struck by a missile off the coast of Yemen.

"This is an international problem that requires an international solution," Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder told reporters during his press briefing.

He reiterated that the targeting of any commercial vessels in the region is a violation of international law.

"The actions that we’ve seen from these Houthi forces are destabilizing, they’re dangerous, and clearly a flagrant violation of international law," said Ryder.

The US is engaged with many nations to discuss this challenge, he noted.

"We’re continuing to take the situation in the Red Sea seriously, there should be no doubt about that," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Houthi group claimed responsibility for attacking the Norwegian-flagged tanker.

"The navy forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a qualitative military operation against the STRINDA ship of Norway which was loaded with fuel and heading towards the Israeli entity," Yahya Saree, a spokesman for the group, said in a statement.

He added that the operation was carried out with "an appropriate navy cruise missile" in the Red Sea, adding the ship’s crew refused to respond to warnings.

Saree also said that in the past two days, several ships responded to the Houthi warnings contrary to the Norwegian ship.

The operation, he said, was carried out in support of the Palestinian people, who are under deadly Israeli attacks on Gaza.

He stressed that the Houthi group will continue to target all ships sailing in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea and heading to Israel unless food and medicine are allowed into the Gaza Strip for Palestinians.

Early on Tuesday, the US military said an anti-ship cruise missile was fired from a Houthi-controlled area in Yemen at a commercial tanker vessel, STRINDA, causing a fire on board and damage but no casualties.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN confirmed that the ship was targeted off the Yemeni coast.

It added that the vessel was scheduled to arrive at the Port of Ashdod in southern Israel on Jan. 4.