In a bold statement on Sunday, Hussein Al-Ezzi, the deputy foreign minister of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia, declared the group’s intention to continue targeting UK ships in the Red Sea. The announcement comes in the wake of global outrage over the recent sinking of a vessel carrying thousands of tonnes of fertilizer.
Al-Ezzi, blaming the UK for its involvement in US-led strikes against Houthi areas and supporting Israel’s actions in Gaza, warned that the militia would persist in sinking ships, even if it resulted in an ecological disaster off Yemen’s coasts.
The threats followed the confirmation by the Yemeni government and the US Central Command that the Belize-flagged Rubymar, hit by Houthi missiles last month, sank with over 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer on board. Concerns are rising about potential environmental damage to Red Sea coral reefs and disruptions to shipping routes.
The Houthis claim the ship was owned by the UK and targeted in retaliation for the country’s strikes on Yemen and support for Israel’s blockade and bombing of Gaza. The group has previously seized the commercial ship Galaxy Leader and launched numerous drone and missile strikes in the region since November.
As tensions escalate, Yemen’s Minister of Transport, Abdul Salam Humaid, has sought assistance from environmental organizations to contain pollution from the sunken ship and establish a legal commission to force the removal of the vessel and its cargo.
The US Central Command has labeled the ship’s cargo of ammonium phosphate sulfate fertilizer as a hazard to marine life, posing risks to other vessels in the Red Sea’s busy shipping lanes.
Despite widespread condemnation and warnings, the Houthis have renewed threats to obstruct a rescue mission for the ship before humanitarian aid reaches Gaza. Houthi leader Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi squarely blamed UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his government for the sinking, linking it to their alleged support for genocide and the Gaza blockade.
Amidst the crisis, the militia has indicated a willingness to release the crew of the seized Galaxy Leader, contingent on a request from Hamas. Houthi media official Nasr Al-Din Amer mentioned that requests from governments related to the crew’s association with Israel would be considered by the group.
