Iran-backed Houthi terrorists struck a British-owned cargo ship late last month using anti-ship missiles, leading to serious environmental damage after the ship sank in the Red Sea, according to government officials.
Roughly 35 nautical miles south of Al Mukha, Yemen, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, Houthi terrorists decided to attack the M/V Rubymar — firing anti-ship missiles at the merchant vessel that was simply trying to transport goods.
One of the missiles hit the engine room in the rear of the ship, causing the vessel to take on water and prompting the crew to rush to abandon the ship. The cargo ship ultimately sank, becoming the first major merchant vessel to be sunk by the Houthis in the current conflict.
The Houthi slogan: "Allahu Akbar, Death to America, Death to Israel, A Curse Upon the Jews, Victory to Islam."
Biden cut off arms sales for Saudi against them and removed the Houthis' terrorist designation in 2021, then started negotiating with Iran.
All that worked out great.
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 12, 2024
The terror group, which was removed from the terrorist organization list by President Joe Biden almost immediately after he took office, has been indiscriminately attacking merchant vessels in the Red Sea for several months — making merchants and their customers the victims of their attacks despite the fact that they claim to be retaliating against Israel for its war against Hamas.
More than two dozen Houthi drone and missile attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea have happened since the Israel-Hamas war began.
As of 30 minutes ago, the United States is now conducting missile strikes on major bases in Yemen that are linked to the Houthi…
— Isabella Maria DeLuca (@IsabellaMDeLuca) January 12, 2024
“We announce the sinking of the ship M/V Rubymar yesterday evening, Friday, coinciding with the weather conditions and strong winds witnessed at sea,” the Crisis Management Cell of the Rubymar cargo ship formed by the Yemeni government explained in a statement.
The government went on to declare that the sinking of the British-owned cargo ship would “cause an environmental catastrophe in the Yemeni territorial waters and the Red Sea,” as the vessel was carrying over 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it sank.
The UK-owned Rubymar, attacked by Houthi militants last month, sank in the Red Sea, Yemen's internationally recognized government said, warning of an 'environmental catastrophe' from the ship's cargo of fertilizer https://t.co/jiWLhSDMsf pic.twitter.com/gTLVhpox4o
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 2, 2024
Late last month after the Houthis fired upon the ship, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a warning about the risk of a serious environmental disaster when the ship’s cargo ends up in the water.
“The unprovoked and reckless attack by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists caused significant damage to the ship, which caused an 18-mile oil slick,” the statement read. “The M/V Rubymar was transporting over 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked, which could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster. The Houthis continue to demonstrate disregard for the regional impact of their indiscriminate attacks, threatening the fishing industry, coastal communities, and imports of food supplies.”
