Yemen's Legitimate Government: Cargo Ship 'Rubimar' Sank in the Southern Red Sea

The internationally recognized Yemeni government announced on Saturday, March 3, that the ship 'Rubimar', which was attacked by Houthi militants supported by the Islamic Republic in late January, has sunk. According to Reuters, if confirmed, this would be the first ship to sink since Houthi militants began targeting commercial vessels. The Yemeni government's statement indicated that Rubimar sank on the night of March 3 and warned of an 'environmental disaster'. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) had previously stated that the ship was carrying over 31,000 tons of chemical fertilizer at the time of the attack. CENTCOM also reported that the attack on Rubimar caused significant damage and resulted in an oil spill extending 29 kilometers. Houthi militants, backed by the Islamic Republic, have been attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea since late November, claiming these attacks are in solidarity with Hamas. The internationally recognized Yemeni government is based in the southern port of Aden, while the Houthis control the capital and other regions. Last Monday, a group from the Yemeni government visited the cargo ship Rubimar, which is registered under the Belize flag and owned by Britain, and stated that it was partially submerged and would soon sink. Reuters also cited two separate reports on Saturday stating that the British Maritime Trade Operations agency reported an attack on a ship 15 nautical miles west of the port of 'Mokha' in Yemen. The agency stated, 'The crew brought the ship to port and were evacuated by military officials.' The agency also mentioned that another ship is sinking. Although both incidents occurred near the location of Rubimar's sinking, none of these reports named this ship. The Houthi attacks have forced shipping companies to take longer and more expensive routes around the southern tip of Africa. These attacks have heightened concerns about the regional escalation between Israel and Hamas. A U.S.-led global coalition has targeted Houthi positions in Yemen in four rounds of airstrikes since January 10. Following the fourth round of attacks, the U.S., Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the UK issued a joint statement saying, 'In response to the ongoing Houthi attacks on commercial vessels and naval forces operating in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways, coalition military forces conducted another round of airstrikes against several targets in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen.' This statement specifically referred to 18 Houthi targets in 8 locations in Yemen, including underground weapon storage facilities, missile depots, single-strike drones, air defense systems, radars, and a helicopter. The fourth joint attack by the U.S. and the coalition targeted at least eighteen points. The coalition forces stated: 'We will not hesitate to defend human lives and the free flow of trade.' Destruction of Houthi ballistic missiles; CENTCOM: They were fired at an American oil tanker. CENTCOM reported the destruction of seven Houthi missiles. The U.S. condemned the 'irresponsible and indiscriminate Houthi attacks on civilian ships.' The British Maritime Agency reported an increase in drone activity in the Red Sea. The European Union has begun a mission to protect shipping in the Red Sea.