SANAA, Yemen

The Yemeni government announced on Saturday that the British ship Rubymar sank in the Red Sea “due to weather factors and strong winds."

“We announce the sinking of the ship M/V Rubymar yesterday evening, Friday, coinciding with the weather conditions and strong winds witnessed at sea,” the Crisis Management Cell of the Rubymar cargo ship formed by the Yemeni government said in a statement.

The government expressed "regret over the sinking of the ship, which will cause an environmental catastrophe in the Yemeni territorial waters and the Red Sea.”

The British ship Rubymar, which was targeted by the Houthis on Feb. 18, was carrying large quantities of ammonia and oils, according to the official Saba Agency.

Last Saturday, the Yemeni government said that the ship was heading toward the Yemeni Hanish Islands in the Red Sea, which threatens a “major environmental disaster.”

Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said last Saturday that “the unprovoked and reckless attack by Iran-backed Houthi terrorists caused significant damage to the ship, which caused an 18-mile oil slick.”

“The M/V Rubymar was transporting over 41,000 tons of fertilizer when it was attacked, which could spill into the Red Sea and worsen this environmental disaster,” it added.

The Yemeni Houthi group has been targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden owned or operated by Israeli companies or transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7.

With tensions escalating due to joint strikes by the US and UK against Houthi targets in Yemen, the group declared that it considered all American and British ships legitimate military targets.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi