Middle East escalation fears spike as Houthis launch most damaging attack yet

• The crew of the British-owned carrier MV Rubymar were forced to abandon ship in the Gulf of Aden after "two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched" from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, according to U.S. Central Command.
• Meanwhile, Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip continues as alarm grows over a potential ground offensive into Rafah, where some 1.5 million Palestinians are sheltering.
• Twenty-six EU countries have issued a warning against Israel's offensive in Rafah, saying it would only deepen the humanitarian catastrophe there.

The Middle East looks set for a path of escalation on multiple fronts as Israeli forces close in on what is left of southern Gaza, and as Yemen's Houthi rebels launch their most damaging strike yet on a ship in the Red Sea.

The crew of the British-owned, Belize-flagged bulk carrier MV Rubymar were forced to abandon ship in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, receiving help from a nearby merchant vessel and coalition warship to reach a nearby port after "two anti-ship ballistic missiles were launched from Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen," according to U.S. Central Command.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group's responsibility for the attack, calling it their most severe yet. The group claim to support Palestinian civilians amid Israel's retaliatory military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

"The ship was severely damaged, leading to its complete halt … It is now at risk of sinking in the Gulf Aden," Saree said Monday.

Simultaneously, fighting is raging between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip with no sign of abating despite diplomatic efforts by a number of countries.

Israel's government has warned of a potential ground invasion of Rafah, Gaza's southern