Ship attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels was full of grain bound for Iran, the group’s main benefactor

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — A Greek-owned, Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier that was attacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels earlier this week had a cargo of grain bound for Iran, the group’s main benefactor, authorities said Thursday.

The attack on Laax comes as the Houthis continue their attacks on shipping along the Red Sea corridor, part of a campaign they say aims to pressure Israel and the West over the war in Gaza. However, as shipping through that artery slowed during the months of attacks, the rebels attacked ships associated with Iran, as well as the economic lifelines of Tehran, China and Russia.

Initially, after the attack, the Laax had indicated that its destination was Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates. On Thursday, however, her destination on the list appeared to be Bandar Khomeini, Iran.

A statement issued by French naval forces based in the United Arab Emirates patrolling the Middle East also identified the ship’s grain shipment bound for Iran. It said a team from Djibouti had inspected the damage caused by the attack, which it said involved both drones and missiles, and found no traces of dangerous explosives on board the ship.

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

In Tuesday’s attack, five missiles hit Laax during the hour-long assault, private security company LSS-SAPU told The Associated Press. LSS-SAPU, which previously helped evacuate sailors from the Houthi-attacked Rubymar which later sank, said there had been no prior radio warning from the Houthis.

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

In recent months, the Houthis have stepped up attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, 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 hostages.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on ships, killing three sailors, seizing one ship and sinking another since November, according to the US Maritime Administration.

On Wednesday, another American MQ-9 Reaper drone apparently crashed in Yemen, and the Houthis claimed a surface-to-air missile was fired at it. The US Air Force did not report any missing aircraft, leading to suspicions that the drone may have been piloted by the CIA. As many as three may have been lost this month alone.