A missile fired by Houthi rebels hit a Norwegian-flagged tanker off the coast of Yemen on Monday, igniting a blaze, according to the US Central Command. No injuries were reported.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Centcom said the Strinda "reported damage causing a fire on board, but no casualties at this time." The post said a US Navy destroyer had heard the ship's mayday call and was sending help.

The attack happened at night as the chemical tanker was going through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which connects Yemen to northeast Africa. The strait leads to the Red Sea, a key route toward the Suez Canal.

The 144-meter-long (272-foot) Strinda is owned by Mowinckel Chemical Tankers AS, which has its main office in Bergen, Norway.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, control much of Yemen and are part of an "axis of resistance" arrayed against Israel. They have launched a series of drones and missiles since the start of the Israel-Hamas war more than two months ago.

In a statement posted Saturday on social media, the Houthis said they "will prevent the passage of ships heading to the Zionist entity" if food and medicine are not allowed into besieged, Hamas-ruled Gaza.

Regardless of which flag the ships sail under or the nationality of their owners or operators, Israel-bound vessels "will become a legitimate target for our armed forces," the statement said.

US and French warships patrolling the Red Sea have shot down Houthi missiles and drones several times since the militants began the attacks.

A French frigate shot down two drones over the weekend using short- to medium-range surface-to-air missiles, a military source told AFP, asking not to be named.

A British warship is also part of the coalition efforts to protect shipping.

Yemen has a long coastline along the Gulf of Aden and the southern Red Sea, a strategic waterway to Israel in the north.

In a helicopter assault, the Houthis captured a commercial car carrier, the Galaxy Leader, on 19 November and forced it to the Hodeidah port in Yemen, where it remains. At the time, the ship with a crew of 25, including 17 Filipinos, was said to be empty.

On 26 November, armed attackers took over the M/V Central Park off the coast of Yemen. They were caught when the USS Mason destroyer arrived on the scene.

US officials say that last week, the USS Mason shot down an air drone that was coming close to the ship. No one knew who it was aimed at.