Yemen's Houthi rebels target carrier ship bound for Iran, their main supporter

Yemen's Houthi rebels fired two missiles at a ship bound for a port in Iran on Monday, causing minor damage but no injuries to its crew, authorities said.

The attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier Star Iris shows just how widely the Houthis now target ships traveling through the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the two waterways. The Star Iris had been heading from Brazil to Bandar Khomeini in Iran. Iran is the main backer and armer of the Houthis in Yemen's yearslong war.

The Houthis sought to describe the Star Iris as an "American" vessel, without offering evidence, and said they targeted the ship with multiple missiles.