The USA conducted a cyberattack against an Iranian military ship suspected of collecting intelligence information on cargo vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, NBC News has reported.

US officials claim that Iran uses the ship to enhance the ship-targeting capabilities of the Houthis. The reported cyberattack aimed to impede the vessel from sharing intelligence with Houthi militants in Yemen and is said to be part of the US response to a drone attack last month by alleged Iranian-backed militants in Iraq, which resulted in the death of three US service members.

One of the officials said the operation was conducted on an Iranian ship named the MV Behshad. Iran has claimed that the Behshad is in the Red Sea to combat piracy activities and is not providing intelligence to the Houthi forces.

VoA reports that an Iranian frigate was also targeted.

The National Security Council of the White House has yet to comment on the NBC News report.