The Port of Ashdod’s website has been blocked after an update appeared claiming that a chemical tanker attacked by Houthis was heading there.
A screen grab taken by security company Ambrey Analytics shows the 20,000-dwt Strinda (built 2006) on the Ashdod arrivals list.
The website was locking out internet traffic on Tuesday morning.
The Strinda was hit by a missile about 15 nautical miles (28 km) west of Mokha in Yemen on Monday.
A fire broke out on board but it was extinguished by the Indian crew, who remained unharmed.
The tanker was underway northbound in the southern Red Sea at the time at 12 knots, with AIS transmissions still on.
Ambrey said that after the attack, the Strinda resumed speed and course after a period of drifting. But AIS transmissions stopped shortly after this resumption.
It is viewed as standard practice for targeted vessels to switch off AIS transmissions, as these could be used to track them.
The tanker’s destination at the time was “Arms Guards Onbo”.
Ambrey corroborated that the ship called at a floating armoury on 9 December, so there were probably armed guards on board at the time.
The company also noted that a Chinese container ship appeared to take evasive action to put distance between it and the Strinda.
Owner J Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi has been contacted for further comment.
The company said earlier on Tuesday the Strinda was not heading to Israel at all but was en route to Italy from Malaysia with a feedstock of biofuel.
The Signal Ocean data platform showed the Strinda as underway from Panjang in Indonesia to Malta with a load of palm oil.
Ashdod is a Mediterranean port that began handling Israeli oil imports after major tanker port Ashkelon was closed following the Hamas attack on Israel in October.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed on Tuesday that they had launched the missile because the ship had ignored their warnings to change course.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces … did not resort to targeting the Norwegian ship … until crew refused to respond to warning,” spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a tweet on Tuesday.
