SANAA - Yemen's Houthi group said Monday it has targeted and hit an "Israeli-linked" oil tanker in the northern Red Sea.

Yahya Sarea, the group's military spokesman, said in a statement broadcast on the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV that the vessel Scarlet Ray was struck by a ballistic missile on Sunday night.

The attack was part of the group's campaign against Israeli shipping, Sarea said, vowing that operations would continue until the war in Gaza ends.

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Meanwhile, the UK Maritime Trade Operations said Sunday night it had received a report of an incident 40 nautical miles southwest of Yanbu, a Saudi port city. It said on X that the tanker's master reported a splash near the vessel and heard a loud bang, but all crew were safe, and the tanker was continuing its voyage after that.

The attack came three days after an Israeli air strike in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa killed Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and several cabinet members.

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The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have targeted Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea since November 2023, shortly after the outbreak of the Gaza war. Dozens of ships have been damaged and four sunk, according to maritime security reports.

As the Red Sea is one of the world's busiest trade routes, the attacks have raised concerns over shipping security and forced some companies to divert vessels around Africa, adding weeks to journeys and millions of US dollars in extra fuel costs.