By Yi Wei Wong

Mar 23, 2024(Bloomberg) –Yemen-based Houthis fired a missile at a Chinese-owned oil tanker called M/V Huang Pu on Saturday, the US Central Command said.

The Iranian-backed Houthis first fired four missiles in the vicinity of the oil tanker, US Central Command said in a post on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. They then fired a fifth missile toward the ship, which issued a distress call but didn’t request assistance, Centcom said.

MARCH 23 RED SEA UPDATE

From 2:50 to 4:30 a.m. (Sanaa time)
March 23, the Iranian-backed Houthis launched four anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) into the Red Sea in the vicinity of M/V Huang Pu, a Panamanian-flagged, Chinese-owned, Chinese-operated oil tanker.

At 4:25 p.m.… pic.twitter.com/n1RwYdW87E

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 24, 2024

The vessel suffered minimal damage and a fire on board was extinguished within 30 minutes. No casualties were reported.

US later engaged six Houthi unmanned drones over the southern Red Sea. Five crashed into the Red Sea, and one flew inland into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

Related Article: Houthis Agree to Give China and Russia Ships a Pass in Red Sea

The attack on the Huang Pu comes even after the Houthis previously said they wouldn’t attack vessels from China.