Houthi militants in Yemen reported on Monday that they had launched an attack on the Rubymar cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden, posing a risk of sinking. The incident escalates their efforts to disrupt global shipping in support of Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.
According to Yahya Sarea, a Houthi military spokesperson, the crew members are safe, but the ship sustained severe damage from the attack, which originated from Yemen.
The Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, British-registered, and Lebanese-operated cargo vessel, encountered the assault while navigating the Bab al-Mandab Strait off Yemen.
While the crew successfully evacuated the ship, it suffered significant damage and began taking on water. The vessel’s condition remains precarious, prompting considerations for towing options.
This attack marks the latest in a series of assaults by Iran-aligned Houthi forces on international commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait since mid-November. These strategic waterways facilitate about 12% of global shipping traffic.
The Houthis have pledged to persist with their attacks until Israel ceases what they deem as “crimes” against Palestinians.
In a separate incident, a Greece-flagged bulk carrier owned by the United States faced missile attacks on Monday, sustaining damage to a window but causing no injuries among the crew. The vessel, en route from Argentina to Aden with grain cargo and 23 crew members, including five Greeks, came under fire during two separate attempts.
The ongoing attacks have prompted shipping companies to reroute their vessels, opting for longer and costlier journeys around Africa. Meanwhile, U.S. and British military aircraft have launched retaliatory strikes across Yemen. Concerns for seafarers’ safety persist, leading to agreements to avoid sailing through high-risk zones.
International shipping associations have called for the immediate release of the 25 crew members of the Galaxy Leader, hijacked by the Houthis in November. These incidents underscore the mounting challenges faced by the maritime industry in the region, with repercussions extending to global shipping operations and security measures.
