The fire on board an oil tanker, which has links to the UK, has been put out today after it was struck by a Hussi missile off the Coast of Yemen. These pictures show that fire on board the Malin Luanda, the Hussi said. It was targeted on Friday in response to what they called American-British aggression. The operator of the ship, Trafigura, paid tribute to the bravery of the captain and crew and thanked the Indian US and French navies for their help. In a statement, the company said, We are pleased to confirm that all of the crew on board the Marlin Luanda are now safe and the fire in the cargo tank has been fully extinguished. The vessel is now sailing towards a safe harbor. The crew continues to monitor the vessel and cargo closely. Well, this latest incident follows US and UK air strikes on Houthi targets in response to attacks on ships in the Red Sea region, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes. The UK government says it reserves the right to respond appropriately. Our diplomatic correspondent, Paul Adams, has more.

This is the Marlin Luanda, carrying Russian oil from Greece to Singapore, the latest Houthi target.

The Houthis were quick to take credit.

Their spokesmen saying, once again, that this was being done to support the Palestinians in Gaza and in response to what he described as American-British aggression. It's been two weeks since Britain and the US first hit back, striking military targets inside Yemen, aiming to deter the Houthis. So far, the strategy doesn't appear to be working.

The attack on the Marlin Luanda in the Gulf of Aden signify a great extension and escalation from the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, so geographical extension, and also with the type of weapons. The missile used yesterday was a ballistic missile, and the Houthis started their attacks in the Red Sea using drones. So we're seeing a technological expansion and a geographical extension.

The Houthis are using the attacks to bolster support at home, orchestrating huge rallies on the streets of the capital Sunna, relishing this confrontation with the West, something they've thought about and planned for for years. They're being helped by Iran. When US Navy Seals seized a dow off the Coast of Somalia earlier this month, they found parts of ballistic and anti-ship cruise missiles. Diplomats say weapons are also being smuggled through Oman. The Marlin Luanda is operated by a UK-registered company. Here, a government spokesman said Britain and its allies reserved the right to respond. Paul Adams, BBC News.

Well, let's hear a bit more from Paul Adams with the very latest developments on that story.

The multinational company Traffegura, which is based in Singapore, which has been putting out statements on the condition of the vessel, the Marlin Luanda. Just a short time ago put out its latest bulletin, and I'll just quote you from that. They say that we are pleased to confirm that all the crew on board the Marlinwanda are safe and that the fire in the cargo tank has been fully extinguished. That was a fire that was raging really throughout the night, and I think was a cause of grave concern to the ship's owners, bearing in mind, of course, that this was a ship carrying oil products. And so the possibility of a fire spreading was a very real one. The vessel is now sailing towards what is described as a safe harbor, and the crew is continuing to monitor the vessel and the cargo closely. The statement from Traffegura also compliments the role played by the navies of India, the United States, and France, all of whom sent vessels to assist in the situation with the tanker. In fact, some of the images that we have seen of the tanker today were filmed from the Indian vessel that approached to offer assistance.

So Traffegura says, We would like to recognize the exceptional dedication and bravery of the ship's master and crew who managed to control the fire in what the company describes as extremely highly difficult circumstances, as well as the essential assistance provided by India, the United States, and French Navy. So this was clearly a serious attack. It was an attack not in the Red Sea, but in the Gulf of Aden, which not the first time that's happened, but there are indications that the Houthis are becoming bolder, they are attacking targets in a wider area, and that so far, the strategy of the West, of the United States and Britain in particular, to attack Houthi military targets inside Yemen in an effort to deter the Houthis from conducting these attacks on shipping, that strategy so far has yet to bear fruit.