Yemen’s Houthi rebels shot down a U.S. drone and damaged a Belize-flagged, British cargo ship in their latest assault against commercial vessels, their spokesperson claimed Monday.
The Iranian-backed group, which has been targeting commercial shipping since the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, said they hit the cargo ship Rubymar in the Gulf of Aden.
“The ship suffered catastrophic damage and came to a complete halt,” a Houthi spokesperson said. “As a result of the extensive damage the ship suffered, it is now at risk of potential sinking in the Gulf of Aden.”
The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations agency said an explosion “in close proximity of the vessel” damaged it. The crew abandoned ship and is safe, the agency added.
