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According to US defence officials, a US Navy warship has apprehended armed individuals who hijacked an Israeli-linked tanker off the coast of Yemen. The assailants tried to escape on a boat but were pursued by the US warship. US Central Command stated that two missiles were then fired towards the warship from rebel Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen. The Houthis have vowed to target Israel due to its conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Israel launched its retaliatory campaign in response to an attack on 7 October in southern Israel, resulting in numerous casualties and hostages. Since then, a significant number of people, including many children, have been killed in the Gaza Strip. The Houthi rebels consider themselves part of an "axis of resistance" affiliated with Iran. The targeted tanker, named Central Park, is managed by Zodiac Maritime Ltd, an international ship management company based in London and owned by Israel's Ofer family. The vessel had a crew of 22 individuals from various nationalities. The rebels allegedly threatened to attack the tanker, which was transporting phosphoric acid, if it didn't divert to a Yemeni port. The US military, along with allied ships, demanded the release of the commercial ship. Five armed individuals attempted to escape on a fast boat but were chased and eventually surrendered. Although two missiles were fired at the US warship, they missed their target. These incidents represent the latest in a series of attacks carried out by the Houthis, including missile and drone strikes against Israel. The US previously claimed that its warship in the Red Sea intercepted all missiles and drones launched by the Houthis. Last week, the rebels stated that they had seized an Israeli cargo ship in the Red Sea, although Israel denied ownership and confirmed no Israelis were among the crew. The Houthis have been engaged in a protracted civil war with Yemen's official government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, since 2014.