Houthis to continue attacking British ships, says group’s foreign minister

Houthi group warns of continuing attacks on British ships in the Red Sea after sinking the MV Rubymar, citing support for Palestinians and condemning the U.K.’s role

The Houthi group, backed by Iran in Yemen, has declared its intention to continue targeting British vessels in the Red Sea following the sinking of the MV Rubymar, which occurred over the past weekend.

In a statement posted on Sunday, Hussein al-Ezzias, the Houthi group’s deputy foreign minister, asserted that Yemen would persist in sinking more British ships, with any resulting consequences or damages being attributed to Britain.

He labeled the U.K. as a “rogue state” collaborating with the U.S. in supporting what he referred to as “ongoing crimes against civilians in Gaza.”

Confirmation from U.S. officials on Sunday revealed that the Rubymar, a Belize-flagged vessel registered in the U.K., had sunk two weeks after being attacked on Feb. 18.

This incident marks the first sunken vessel targeted by the Houthis since they began aiming at commercial shipping in the Red Sea last November.

Al-Ezzias further emphasized, “You can’t engage in actions within my country and then casually spend your evenings elsewhere.”

He warned that anyone harming Yemen would face retaliation.

The Houthi militants have been frequently attacking ships in the Red Sea region since November, citing their targeting of vessels linked to Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians.

These missile and drone attacks have disrupted global shipping, placing a strain on European supply chains and posing a threat to the unique coral reefs of the Red Sea.

In response, U.S. and U.K. forces have initiated strikes on Houthi sites within Yemen.

Source: Newsroom