221∆24 Houthis and Red Sea

290224

Houthis deny targeting underwater cables amid marine disaster warning

Yemeni government warns of Red Sea environmental disaster after cargo ship struck by rebels last week

Middle East crisis – live updates

Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor

Wed 28 Feb 2024 06.41 EST

"Houthi leaders have denied they have targeted critical underwater sea telecommunication cables, as Yemen’s UN-recognised government warned of an imminent marine environmental disaster if a cargo ship struck by the rebels last week was not quickly rescued.

The Rubymar, a Belize-flagged but British-owned bulk carrier, has been drifting in the Red Sea after it was struck by two missiles. The ship, which is feared to be in danger of sinking, is leaking an 18-mile oil spill and carrying 41,000 tonnes of volatile fertiliser."

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/28/houthis-deny-targeting-underwater-cables-marine-disaster-warning-red-sea#:~:text=Houthi%20leaders%20have,of%20volatile%20fertiliser.

ISW

"The United States and the United Kingdom sanctioned Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and Houthi members on February 27.[41] The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the United Kingdom designated the following individuals and organizations:

IRGC Quds Force Deputy Commander Mohammad Reza Falahzadeh for generating revenue to fund Houthi operations

Houthi member Ibrahim al Nashiri

A Hong Kong-based shipping company that was responsible for facilitating the transport of Iranian commodities sold in China by the Said Jamal network. Said Jamal is a Houthi and IRGC Quds Force financial facilitator sanctioned by the United States on January 12.[42]

Falahzadeh has played a key role in supporting and financing Houthi, Hamas, and Hezbollah operations.[43] OFAC stated that the IRGC Quds Force and the Houthis sell Iranian commodities to foreign buyers to generate funds to support the Houthis. The US State Department designated the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Group in January 2024.[44] The US State Department designated the entire IRGC–including the Quds Force–as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in April 2019.[45]

US CENTCOM stated that it destroyed three surface naval attack drones and two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles in Houthi-controlled Yemeni territory on February 26 that were ready-to-launch in Houthi-controlled Yemen.[46] Houthi-affiliated media outlets reported on February 26 that the United States conducted airstrikes targeting Houthi positions north of Hudaydah.[47]"

 https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/iran-update-february-27-2024#:~:text=on%20multiple%20fronts-,The%20United%20States%20and%20the%20United%20Kingdom%20sanctioned%20Islamic%20Revolutionary%20Guards,States%20conducted%20airstrikes%20targeting%20Houthi%20positions%20north%20of%20Hudaydah.%5B47%5D,-%5B1%5D%20https