Source: Ivan Marc Sanchez

US officials claim a recent cyberattack on an Iranian military spy ship disrupted intelligence-gathering on Red Sea traffic used to aid Houthi rebels in piracy against cargo ships.

Exclusive reporting by NBC said the US-waged cyberattack on the ship took place more than a week ago against the Iranian military ship MV Behshad, which according to US officials was using its reconnaissance technology to share information with Houthi Rebels in Yemen, the group behind regular attacks terrorizing Red Sea international shipping lanes. About 12% of all daily shipping traffic passes through the Red Sea, according to NBC.

Long backed by Iran, the Houthi rebels claim to be targeting ships in the Red Sea in response to Israel's military operation in Gaza.