Crude oil tanker attacked off the coast of Yemen

A Panama-flagged crude oil tanker has been attacked around 10 nautical miles from Yemen's coastal city of Mokha, British security firm Ambrey said on Saturday. 

Radio communication indicated the ship was hit by a missile and that there was a subsequent fire onboard.

Since November, Yemen's Houthis have carried out several attacks on vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Earlier on Saturday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said a ship in the Red Sea was struck by an unknown object and sustained slight damage.

"The vessel and crew are safe and continuing to its next port of call," UKMTO said in an advisory note.

The Houthi attacks have cause major disruption to global shipping for several months, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more costly journeys around Southern Africa.