First time ship attacked by Houthis sinks in Red Sea

Rubymar ship sinks in the Red Sea (photo: twitter.com/V_of_Europe)

Rubymar, a ship attacked by Yemeni Houthis, sank in the Red Sea. This is the first ship to sink after a Houthi attack.

The Rubymar cargo ship, which was carrying more than 40,000 tons of fertilizer, was attacked on February 18. After sustaining damage, the vessel drifted uncontrollably in the Red Sea and then sank. The crew was evacuated.

BREAKING: The British-owned bulk carrier Rubymar has now sunk after it was hit by Houthi anti-ship missile 2 weeks ago. It’s the first ship to be sunk by the Houthis. It was carrying more than 41 000 tons of fertilizer. Major ecologic disaster. Greta? pic.twitter.com/RAFK6kDHKP

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 2, 2024

Because the vessel was carrying fertilizers and the damage caused a fuel leak, there is a threat of serious environmental damage. In particular, a kilometer-long oil slick has formed around the ship.

Houthi attacks in the Red Sea

Last November, Yemeni Houthis, supported by Iran, began regularly attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Aden and the Red Sea with drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. By doing so, the Houthis support Hamas militants in the war with Israel.

In response, the United States and Britain have launched air strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen, as well as on missile storage sites and launchers.

However, according to Bloomberg, the Houthis, with the support of Iran, are preparing for a long war with the United States in the Red Sea.