A State Department spokesman told Iran International that the Tehran-backed Houthis' Red Sea blockade not only threatens global food supplies but "now directly threatens even Iran’s own supply of food."

It follows an attack on a bulk carrier of corn traveling from Brazil to Iran on Monday. "This is just the latest, absurd example demonstrating that the Iranian regime supports terrorism and destabilizing behavior by groups like the Houthis at the expense of all the people of the region, including the Iranian people themselves," the spokesperson said.

Citing maritime sources, Reuters reported that the attack was the first time a ship headed for Iran was targeted amidst the Red Sea blockade, launched in November.

A regional security official told Reuters that the attack appeared designed to "show Iran does not control the Houthis and they act independently." They added that the Houthis had informed Tehran in advance, though so far Iranian officials are yet to comment on the allegations or the attack itself. 

The Yemeni Houthis joined the proxy war which emerged in the aftermath of Iran-backed Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7. The deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, Hamas killed 1,200 mostly civilians and took at least 250 more hostage. Israel's relentless retaliation on the Gaza based militia has led to large swathes of the strip destroyed and around two thirds of the population at least displaced.

In solidarity, Iranian proxies in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen have attacked both Israel and US targets, punishment for Biden's support of Israel's right to defend itself in the wake of the October atrocities.