The Houthis launched an anti-ship cruise missile at a commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb on Tuesday, the latest attack launched from Houthi-militant-controlled areas of Yemen amid the war in Gaza.

The motor tanker Strinda, a Norwegian oil and chemical tanker, reported damage to the ship and a fire onboard after the strike, while the USS Mason, a destroyer that has been patrolling the Red Sea, responded to its distress call, U.S. Central Command said in a statement.

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"The STRINDA reported damage causing a fire on-board, but no casualties at this time. There were no US ships in the vicinity at the time of the attack, but the USS MASON responded to the M/T STRINDA's mayday call and is currently rendering assistance," the statement said.

Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Sarea confirmed the Houthis were responsible for the attack on the Houthi-run channel Al-Masirah. He also warned that they would continue to attack ships that have links to Israel due to the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.

Houthi militants have carried out a series of missile and drone attacks against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden in recent weeks, while U.S. military personnel have responded to distress calls from the attacked ships. The Houthis have Iran's backing, which is why national security adviser Jake Sullivan recently said that Iran "fully enabled" these attacks.

The U.S. is working with the combined maritime force, which consists of nearly 40 countries, to set up a task force to ensure the safe passage of commercial vessels in the region.

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"The combined maritime force consists of 39 nations. And so, you know, I think, again, as we highlighted last week, this is an international problem," Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said on Monday. "It's an international concern, in terms of shipping being affected going through the Red Sea. And so, as we always do, the United States will work with like-minded nations to ensure that the safety and security and stability through that strait is preserved."

Several former senior U.S. military leaders have argued the U.S. should be more aggressive in its response to the attacks.