Ship earlier attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels sinks in the Red Sea

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates  - A ship attacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels has sunk in the Red Sea after days of taking on water, officials said Saturday, making it the first vessel to be fully destroyed as part of their campaign over Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The Rubymar had been drifting northward after being attacked on Feb. 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Yemen's internationally recognized government, as well as a regional military official, confirmed the ship sank. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as the information had not been cleared for publication.