[Hogmann]

CAIRO, July 16 (Reuters) – Liberia-flagged oil tanker Chios Lion was assessing damage and investigating a potential oil spill after it was attacked by Yemen’s Houthis in the Red Sea, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) said on Tuesday.

An unmanned watercraft inflicted minor damage to Chios Lion’s port side on Monday as part of a swarm of attacks by the Houthis on the vessel and another ship sailing around 100 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah.

“While originally headed south, following the attack the vessel turned around and back north out of the threat area to further assess damage and investigate potential oil spillage,” the JMIC said in a statement.

It added that the captain and crew were safe.

The manager of Chios Lion did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Yemen’s Houthis said they targeted Chios Lion and Bentley I with ballistic missiles, drones and booby-trapped boats in response to the deadly Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis on Saturday.

Since November, Houthi attacks have exacted an economic toll on global trade by forcing ship owners to route vessels away from the Suez Canal shortcut and toward the longer, more expensive route around Africa.

They also pose a risk to the environment in the form of spilled cargo such as oil and fertilizer as well as fuel used to power vessels.