British oil tanker Marlin Luanda hit in Iran-backed Houthi rebels strike sparking fire off Yemen coast

A BRITISH oil tanker has been set on fire after being hit by Houthi rebels off the Yemen coast

The Iran-backed rebels have claimed the attack on the Marlin Luanda in the Gulf of Aden.

EPA

Houthi rebels have claimed they attacked a British oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden[/caption]

They used “a number of appropriate naval missiles, the strike was direct,” according to Yahya Sarea, a Houthi military spokesperson.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said the ship is now on fire.

This is the latest revenge strike after the US and UK carried out airstrikes on rebel bases earlier on in January.

Houthi rebels have been attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea in retaliation for Israel’s continued bombardment of Hamas in the Gaza strip.