Houthi rebels' attack severely damages Belize-flagged ship

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 ship.

Another ship reportedly came twice under attack in the Gulf of Aden, authorities said on February 19, according to ABC News.

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.

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.

Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com analysed by The Associated Press identified the vessel targeted as the Rubymar. Its Beirut-based manager could not be reached for comment. The Houthis later also identified the ship as the Rubymar.