Houthi rebels suspected in attack that damaged a Belize-flagged ship in Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Yemen’s Houthi rebels are suspected in an attack on a Belize-flagged ship traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The ship targeted in the assault Sunday reported sustaining damage after “an explosion in close proximity to the vessel.” That's according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. It said that the ship's crewmembers were safe. Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by The Associated Press identified the vessel targeted as the Rubymar. Its Beirut-based manager could not be reached for comment.