An oil tanker traversing the waters between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea was the target of a missile strike on Monday, as confirmed by U.S. Central Command. The attack, which is believed to have originated from an area in Yemen under Houthi control, involved an Anti-Ship Cruise Missile and resulted in a fire on the vessel named STRINDA. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties.
The incident occurred at approximately 4 p.m. EST on December 11, and while no American ships were in the immediate area when the strike happened, the USS MASON swiftly responded to the distress signal from the STRINDA, providing needed assistance.
The assault on the tanker was identified by private intelligence groups before the official statement from the U.S. military was released. An advisory from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, a unit of the British military, had earlier issued a notice about the attack, alerting maritime traffic to the presence of flames on the attacked vessel.
This attack intensifies the scrutiny on President Joe Biden’s administration and its handling of the threat posed by Houthi insurgents and other Iranian-supported groups in the region. These groups have launched a series of attacks on U.S. interests and allies since mid-October.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly pressed President Biden for a more decisive response to these provocations. Netanyahu has indicated that Israel might take unilateral action should the U.S. not address the Houthi aggression, especially after a series of attacks on ships connected to Israel.
Defense experts and former U.S. officials have criticized the current administration’s approach. Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA official, voiced his concerns on social media, calling for swift retaliatory action against Houthi targets. Additionally, Retired Vice Adm. John Miller, who previously commanded the U.S. 5th Fleet, expressed his view to POLITICO that the U.S. response—or lack thereof—to these attacks is not demonstrating a strong deterrence, suggesting a need for a more assertive stance.