The ship attacked by Yemeni Houthi rebels was full of grain for Iran, the group’s main sponsor

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Greek-owned bulk carrier flying the Marshall Islands flag that was attacked by The Houthi rebels in Yemen Earlier this week, the airline delivered a shipment of grain for Iran, the organization’s main sponsor, authorities said on Thursday.

The attack on the Laax comes as the Houthis continue their attacks on shipping throughout the Red Sea corridor, part of a campaign they say is aimed at pressuring Israel and the West the war in GazaBut as shipping traffic on this artery has declined during months of attacks, the rebels have attacked ships linked to Iran, as well as Tehran’s economic lifelines of China and Russia.

After the attack, the Laax’s target was initially given as Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. On Thursday, however, the target was apparently given as Bandar Khomeini in Iran.

A statement from the United Arab Emirates-based French Navy, which patrols the Middle East, also said the ship’s grain shipment was headed to Iran. A team from Djibouti had examined the damage caused by the attack, which is said to have involved both drones and missiles, and found no dangerous explosives left on board the ship.

Images released by the French Navy showed damage to both the ship’s waterline and its deck.

During the hour-long attack on Tuesday, five rockets hit the Laax, the private security company LSS-SAPU told the Associated Press. LSS-SAPU, which had previously been involved in the evacuation of sailors from the Rubymar, which was attacked by the Houthi and later sanksaid there had been no prior radio warning from the Houthis.

At the time of the attack, three armed security guards were on board the Laax, the LSS-SAPU. Among the ship’s crew were 13 Filipinos and one Ukrainian, the Philippine Department of Migrant Workers said in a statement.

The Houthis have increased their attacks on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in recent months and are demanding that Israel end the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage.

The The Houthis have carried out more than 50 attacks on ships, killed three sailors, hijacked one ship and sank another since November, according to the US Maritime Administration.

On Wednesday, another US MQ-9 Reaper drone apparently crashed in Yemen. The Houthis claimed they fired a surface-to-air missile at it. The US Air Force reported no missing aircraft, raising suspicions that the drone may have been piloted by the CIA. Up to three aircraft may have been lost this month alone.