Yemen's Houthis said on Tuesday they carried out a military operation against the Norwegian commercial tanker STRINDA.

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 added that the group had managed to obstruct the passage of several ships in recent days, acting in support of the Palestinians.

He vowed that the Houthis would continue blocking all 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.

The tanker was ablaze after being struck by a cruise missile fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen, two U.S. defense officials said earlier. The attack on the motor transport STRINDA took place about 60 nautical miles north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the officials said.