Images emerged of a British cargo ship, the M/V Rubymar, that was attacked over the weekend by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists in Yemen.
One missile struck near the engine room, damaging the ship which was forced to abandon crew.
While being towed to Djibouti, the ship remains at risk of sinking, which would be a first for the Houthis sinking a cargo vessel.
Bulker #Rubymar with a flooded engine room and well down by the stern. She must be in a nearly empty condition to have sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat. https://t.co/WzIFRTlel1 pic.twitter.com/JQzZC4LJrL
— Sal Mercogliano (WGOW Shipping) 🚢⚓🐪🚒🏴☠️ (@mercoglianos) February 21, 2024
U.S. Central Command (US CENTCOM) confirmed the missile attack and noted coalition forces responded to assist the crew.
US CENTCOM reported, “Between 9:30 and 10:45 p.m., Feb. 18, two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched from Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen toward MV Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, UK-owned bulk carrier.”
“One of the missiles struck the vessel, causing damage. The ship issued a distress call, and a coalition warship, along with another merchant vessel, responded to the call to assist the crew of the MV Rubymar. The crew was transported to a nearby port by the merchant vessel,” the report continued.
According to separate US CENTCOM report, “Houthi aggression in the region has exacerbated already high levels of need in conflict-impacted Yemen, which remains one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world, with nearly 80 percent of the entire population needing humanitarian assistance.”
The command division continued, “We are committed to countering the Houthis’ malign activities, which directly endanger the imports of foodstuff and humanitarian aid to Yemen.”
If sunk, it would mark an escalation in Houthi terrorism in the region.
Separately, the Houthis also attacked a US-owned ship carrying humanitarian aid to Yemen this week, exacerbating the dire humanitarian crisis there under Houthi aggression.
CENTCOM is committed to countering Houthi activities endangering food/aid imports to Yemen.
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