Dubai: Following an attack by Yemen-based Houthis, a British vessel sank into the sea after days of taking on water. The ship Rubymar became the first ship to be fully destroyed by the Houthi's campaign in the Red Sea in the name of solidarity with Palestine, the Associated Press reported.
The ship was attacked and sank after cargo passage through the region came under risk following increased Houthi operations. The shipping path is crucial in moving cargo from Asia and the Middle East to Europe.
Though many shipping companies adopted different routes, this attack that totally destroyed the ship would mean more detours, higher insurance rates, global inflation, etc.
The ship was attacked on February 18 in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a crucial waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and it was drifting northward. The vessel kept drifting after it was left abandoned for 12 days after the attack. There were plans to toe the ship to a safe port.
Despite over a month of US-led airstrikes, Houthi rebels remain capable of launching significant attacks. That includes the attack on the Rubymar and the downing of an American drone worth tens of millions of dollars. The Houthis insist their attacks will continue until Israel stops its combat operations in the Gaza Strip, which have enraged the wider Arab world and seen the Houthis gain international recognition.
Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea and surrounding waters over the Israel-Hamas war. Those vessels have included at least one with cargo bound for Iran, the Houthis' main benefactor, and an aid ship later bound for Houthi-controlled territory.