An attack by Yemeni Houthi rebels on a Belize-flagged ship earlier this month resulted in an 18-mile (29-kilometer) oil slick, as confirmed by the U.S. military. The targeted vessel, the Rubymar, a British-registered, Lebanese-operated cargo ship, was struck while passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The missile attack on February 18 forced the crew to abandon the ship, which was en route to Bulgaria from the United Arab Emirates carrying over 41,000 tons of fertilizer. The significant damage sustained by the vessel led to the oil slick, raising concerns about a potential spill of the cargo into the Red Sea, exacerbating the environmental impact.
