On Sunday, the Iran-backed Houthi militant group caused damage to a ship off the coast of Yemen, leading the crew to abandon the vessel in the latest escalation of maritime tensions affecting crucial trade routes in the Red Sea.

The U.K. Maritime Trade Operations reported a vessel attack in the Bab el-Mandeb strait near Yemen’s coast on social media, confirming that the crew had evacuated the ship.

The UKMTO stated, “Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe.”

Following the incident, Houthi militants claimed responsibility, with spokesperson Yahya Sare’e identifying the targeted vessel as the general cargo ship Rubymar, describing it as British.

However, data from VesselFinder and MarineTraffic.com indicate that the ship operates under the flag of Belize, CNBC reported.

While Houthi forces have previously declared their intention to exclusively target Israeli, British, and U.S. tankers, they have been known to engage in hostilities toward other ships.

According to data from MarineTraffic.com, the Rubymar was en route from the Saudi port of Ras al-Khair to Varna, Bulgaria.

Written by B.C. Begley