A missile attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels that damaged a Belize-flagged ship traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden has forced the crew to abandon the vessel, authorities said Monday. The Iran-backed Houthis also claimed they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, something not immediately acknowledged by US forces in the region. However, the Houthis have downed US drones before. The ship targeted in the Houthi attack on Sunday, the Rubymar, reported sustaining damage after "an explosion in close proximity to the vessel," the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported. "Military authorities report crew have abandoned the vessel," the UKMTO said. "Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe."
Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree issued a statement claiming the attack, saying the vessel later sunk, though this was not independently confirmed, the AP reports. "The ship suffered catastrophic damages and came to a complete halt," Saree said. "During the operation, we made sure that the ship's crew exited safely." The private security firm Ambrey reported the British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo ship had been on its way to Bulgaria after leaving Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates. Later Monday, the UKMTO and Ambrey said a second vessel came under attack in the Gulf of Aden.
Ambrey described the vessel as a Greek-flagged, US-owned bulk carrier bound for Aden, Yemen, and carrying grain from Argentina. Meanwhile, the US military said it was conducting new airstrikes targeting the rebels, including one that targeted the first Houthi underwater drone seen since they began launching attacks on international shipping in November. The strikes targeted mobile anti-ship cruise missiles, an explosive-carrying drone boat, and an "unmanned underwater vessel," Central Command said. "This is the first observed Houthi employment of a UUV since attacks began in Oct. 23," Central Command said. (More Houthis stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
