On Sunday evening, anti-ship ballistic missiles, launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen, struck the MV Rubymar, a  32,211 DWT, Belize-flagged, UK-owned, and Lebanese-operated bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden near the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The attack caused sufficient damage that the crew was forced to abandon the ship.

US CENTCOM reported on X, that 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.

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said it had received a report of the incident from an unnamed ship about 35 nautical miles (65km) south of the Yemeni Red Sea port of Mocha. “Vessel at anchor and all crew are safe,” it said.

A Houthi military spokesman claimed that the ship suffered “catastrophic damage” and was at risk of sinking.

The Houthis have launched dozens of missiles and drones at merchant vessels and Western warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November, in what they say is a show of support for the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The attacks have prompted many shipping companies to stop using the critical waterway, which accounts for about 12% of global seaborne trade.

US and British forces began carrying out air strikes on military targets across Houthi-controlled western Yemen in response last month.

The BBC observed that the attack is one of the most damaging yet carried out by the Iran-backed Houthis, and is the latest evidence that Western efforts to deter them are yet to succeed.

Houthis say targeted UK cargo ship Rubymar could sink

Thanks to Alaric Bond for contributing to this post.