Sanaa, Dec 15 (IANS): The Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen has claimed a drone attack on an Israel-bound cargo ship in the Red Sea, amid increasing tensions in the region since the Israel-Hamas war erupted on October 7.

"The military operation against the Mersik Gebrlater container vessel that was heading to Israel was precise and caused damage to the ship," Xinhua news agency quoted Houthi military spokesman Yehya Sarea as saying in a statement late Thursday.

"The attack came after the ship's crew refused to respond to the call of our naval forces," he said.

The spokesman claimed that Houthis had successfully prevented the passage of several other Israel-bound foreign ships during the past 48 hours.

"Our forces will continue to prevent all ships heading to Israeli ports from navigating in the Arab Sea and the Red Sea unless food and medicine aid be allowed to enter into Gaza Strip," Sarea added.

This was the latest in a series of anti-Israel attacks claimed by the Houthis since October 7..

On Tuesday, the militia group said they launched a missile at a Norwegian ship loaded with oil that was heading to Israel in the Red Sea.

On November 19, the Houthi fighters hijacked a commercial ship, Galaxy Leader, in the Red Sea and brought it to the port city of Hodeidah.

The Houthis have been in control of much of northern Yemen, including the capital Sanaa and the strategic Red Sea port city of Hodeidah since the Yemeni civil war broke out in late 2014.