British cargo ship sank in Red Sea after Houthi attack

British-flagged cargo ship Rubymar sank in the Red Sea after being hit by a Houthi missile. The ship was the first to be destroyed as part of the Houthis’ military campaign against Israel. Previously, the USA and the UK had attacked Houthi targets in Yemen. The Daily Mail writes about this.

Rubimar came under attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on February 18. He was carrying a cargo of fertilizer.

According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations Office (UKMTO), the attack took place in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen. The attack took place on Sunday evening and the ship was later identified as Rubymar.

The crew of the 171.6 meters long and 27 meters wide British-flagged cargo ship had to “abandon ship” after the attack. UKMTO said last night that all crew were safe and authorities were investigating.

The ship is the first ship to be completely destroyed during the current Middle East crisis.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government and a regional military official confirmed the ship sank. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the information had not been approved for release.

Rubymar’s manager in Beirut could not be reached for comment.

The Yemeni government in exile, which has been backed by the Saudi-led coalition since 2015, said the Rubimar sank late Friday as storms began to blow in the Red Sea. The ship remained adrift for 12 days following the attack and was planned to be towed to a safe harbour.

The Iranian-backed Houthis, who said the ship sank immediately after the attack, did not immediately accept that the ship sank.

Many ships have already gone off course. The sinking of the Rubimar could lead to workarounds and higher insurance rates for ships operating in the waterway, potentially increasing global inflation and affecting humanitarian aid supplies to the region.

U.S. Central Command Middle East Command previously announced that U.S. troops on Friday shot down and destroyed a Houthi surface-to-air missile in Yemen after determining that it posed an “imminent threat” to U.S. aircraft.

The Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of war-torn Yemen, have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since November in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza amid a war between Israel and Hamas.

The US leads a naval coalition to protect shipping in the vital waterway and has launched air strikes on Houthi territory, both alone and together with Britain.

The Houthis launched an anti-ship missile into the Red Sea on Friday evening, but no ships were reportedly hit.

According to a joint statement, US and British forces hit 18 Houthi targets, including weapons depots, attack aircraft, air defense systems, radars and a helicopter, at eight locations in Yemen over the weekend.

The Houthis said one person was killed and eight others were injured in the attack.

Yemeni Houthis attacked a ship carrying humanitarian aid as well as a ship heading to Iran.

Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak, prime minister of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, described the sinking of the Rubimar as an unprecedented environmental disaster.

Mubarak said, “This is a new disaster for our country and our people. We are paying the price every day for the crimes of the Houthis, who are not content with dragging Yemen into the disaster of a coup and war.” said.

The Houthis have been holding Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014 and overthrowing the government. It has been fighting a stalled war with the Saudi-led coalition since 2015.

Previously, the German frigate Hesse, deployed in the Red Sea to protect international shipping, repelled the attack of the Yemeni Houthis for the first time.

Hessen had previously set out from Wilhelmshaven towards the battlefield in order to begin the operation immediately after the decision of the Bundestag. On Friday, February 23, the Bundestag approved Germany’s participation in the EU Aspides mission, and German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the operation would help stabilize the region.