US Warship rescues Israeli tanker under Houthi attack, captures 5 militants
A US warship responded to an emergency call from an Israeli tanker that was being attacked by the Houthis and managed to save it. Following the Houthi rebels' capture by the US Navy, the US ship was targeted by two ballistic missiles.
In an official statement, Centcom stated that "five armed men disembarked and attempted to escape in their small boat. USS Mason pursued the attackers, which led to their eventual surrender."
The "Central Park Tanker" and USS Mason, both of which are a part of the Eisenhower battle group, escaped damage from the incident.
The statement also says that the Houthis' ballistic missiles struck the water ten nautical miles away.
Simultaneously, the American Central Command (CENTCOM) Farsi page declared that the battleship Eisenhower had crossed the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf waters in order to "support CENTCOM's requirements throughout the region and ensure freedom of navigation in international waterways."
The Zodiac Maritime company, a part of the Zodiac Group owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer, previously released a statement indicating that the "Central Park" vessel, transporting phosphoric acid, was involved in an alleged robbery-related incident while traversing international waters some 54 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict, there have been three attacks against ships owned by Israel.
