US conducts cyberattack on suspected Iranian spy ship assisting Houthis

The United States conducted a cyberattack recently against an Iranian military ship in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that had been collecting intelligence on cargo vessels, NBC News reported on Thursday, citing three US officials.

The cyberattack took place a week ago as part of a government response to a drone attack by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq that killed three US service members in Jordan late last month and wounded dozens of others, the report said.

NBC reported that the operation was intended to inhibit the ship’s ability to share intelligence with Houthi militants in Yemen.

The Iran-aligned Houthi, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have launched a wave of exploding drones and missiles at commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden in recent weeks, calling it a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza and a show of solidarity with Palestinians.

The attacks have slowed trade between Asia and Europe and raised fears of supply bottlenecks.

The US military has responded with strikes against the group. President Joe Biden said in January that strikes on Houthi targets would continue even as he acknowledged they may not be halting their attacks.