Handout picture released by the US Central Command (CENTCOM) shows the M/V Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, UK-owned bulk carrier leaking oil in the Gulf of Aden (AFP photo)
NEW DELHI: Yemen's
Houthi rebels
are responsible for an
attack
on a British-owned
ship
in the
Red Sea
, causing an
oil slick
and posing a threat of a fertilizer spill, reported the
US military
on Saturday, reported AP.
The Rubymar, a cargo vessel registered in Britain and operated by a Lebanese company, was targeted on February 18 while navigating the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. As a result of the missile attack, the crew had to abandon the ship, which was carrying over 41,000 tons of fertilizer. The significant damage to the vessel led to the formation of an 18-mile oil slick, raising concerns about the potential environmental impact in the Red Sea.
On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that, based on satellite images provided by Planet Labs PBC, the distressed vessel was releasing oil into the Red Sea.
The US Central Command has expressed its concern about the Houthi rebels' actions and issues a statement saying that the cargo of the ship "could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster".
The statement said, "The Houthis continue to demonstrate disregard for the regional impact of their indiscriminate attacks, threatening the fishing industry, coastal communities, and imports of food supplies.".
In response to the ongoing attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea, the United States military on Friday revealed that it successfully destroyed seven mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that the Houthi rebels were preparing to launch towards targets in the Red Sea.
The US military has been targeting Houthi-held areas in Yemen in recent weeks as a response to the increased threats to shipping routes. The Houthi rebels claim that their attacks are a response to Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, but they have targeted vessels with no clear connection to Israel, disrupting trade between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
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