Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis have said they carried out a military operation against the Norwegian commercial tanker Strinda in its latest operation to protest against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, Reuters reports.

The group targeted the tanker with a rocket after the crew refused to respond to all warnings, Houthi military spokesperson Yehia Sareea said in a televised statement.

He vowed that the Houthis would continue blocking ships heading to Israeli ports until Israel allows the entry of food and medical aid into the Gaza Strip — more than 1,000 miles from the Houthi seat of power in Sanaa.

“There were no US ships in the vicinity at the time of the attack, but the (US Navy destroyer) USS Mason responded to the M/T Strinda’s mayday call and is currently rendering assistance,” the US military’s Central Command said in a statement posted on social media platform X.

The attack caused a fire and damage but no casualties, the US military said in a statement. The Strinda had loaded vegetable oil and biofuels in Malaysia and was headed for Venice, Italy, data from shiptracking firm Kpler showed.