A Houthi military campaign targeting shipping has intensified in the Red Sea with the group, supported by Iran, attacking vessels associated with Israel, the US, and the UK. The strategic waterways have experienced unprecedented threats from missiles and drone strikes. Recent events culminated in the crew of the Belize-flagged Rubymar evacuating the ship after a severe altercation late on a Sunday evening. The Rubymar suffered significant damage from suspected anti-ship ballistic missiles launched by the rebels, and its crew was safely relocated to a nearby port by assenting vessels responding to their distress signal.
The Houthis, addressing their militant actions, disclosed they attacked an unidentified British vessel leading to its sinking, an assertion that remains unverified. Meanwhile, GMZ Ship Management Co. reported that their vessel, the Rubymar, was hit in the engine room and the bow, fortunately not resulting in any injuries to the crew who were headed to Djibouti. The surge in hostilities has coerced extensive rerouting of maritime traffic, thus elevating transit times and shipping expenses globally.
Complementary to these maritime disruptions, another ship was reported to have encountered nearby explosions, suffering minimal damage. The EU has initiated a naval mission, led by Greece, to shield commercial vessels from such aggressions. Concurrently, the US has performed self-defense airstrikes targeting Houthi forces, including an underground drone, marking a novel form of threat. Yemen’s Houthis have also claimed to have shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone, adding to the string of drone losses the US has faced over the years at the hands of the rebels. The US retaliated with tactical airstrikes aimed at Houthi military assets in response to the series of maritime and aerial provocations.