Houthi attacks escalate in Red Sea; Liberian-flagged vessel surrounded, under fire
Dubai: Tensions flared in the Red Sea after Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched back-to-back attacks on cargo vessels, heightening fears of renewed conflict along the vital global trade route.
On Tuesday, the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier Eternity C came under sustained assault by small boats and bomb-laden drones as it sailed north toward the Suez Canal.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that the ship was surrounded and under continuous attack for several hours. At least two crew members died and two others remain missing. Security personnel on board reportedly returned fire during the assault.
"We received reports last evening that the Eternity again has been attacked ... causing the death of two seafarers," a Liberian representative at the London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) said Tuesday.
Although the Houthis have not claimed responsibility for this latest attack, Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the EU naval mission Operation Atalanta have blamed the rebels.
The strike came just two days after the Houthis attacked another Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned ship, Magic Seas. The vessel was targeted with drones, missiles, RPGs, and small arms, forcing its 22-member crew to abandon ship. The rebels later claimed the ship had sunk in the Red Sea.
These attacks follow recent Israeli airstrikes on Houthi positions early Monday, further raising the possibility of an escalation that could draw Western forces back into the conflict. The situation echoes earlier episodes when the U.S. launched significant airstrikes against the Houthis, particularly during Donald Trump’s presidency.
The attacks come at a sensitive moment in the Middle East, as a possible ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war hangs in the balance, and as Iran weighs whether to restart negotiations over its nuclear program following American airstrikes targeting its most sensitive atomic sites during the Israel-Iran war in June.
The Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region in what the group’s leadership has described as an effort to end Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis targeted more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two of them and killing four sailors. Their campaign has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually. Shipping through the Red Sea, while still lower than normal, has increased in recent weeks.
The Houthis paused attacks until the U.S. launched a broad assault against the rebels in mid-March. That ended weeks later and the Houthis hadn’t attacked a vessel until this weekend, though they did continue occasional missile attacks targeting Israel.AP