Houthi Rebels Resume Red Sea Ship Attacks, Renewing Fears of Wider Maritime Conflict
Later in the day, a Liberian representative at the London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) confirmed that two crew members had died in the attack.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a sustained attack Tuesday on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea, just days after claiming responsibility for sinking another vessel in the strategic waterway, raising fears of renewed escalation across the region’s maritime corridor, according to the Associated Press (AP).
The Greek-owned bulk carrier Eternity C came under continuous assault by small boats and bomb-laden drones while sailing north toward the Suez Canal late Monday night. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported Tuesday that the vessel was “surrounded by small craft and is under continuous attack.” At least two crew members were initially reported injured and two others missing.
Later in the day, a Liberian representative at the London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) confirmed that two crew members had died in the attack. “We received reports last evening that the Eternity again has been attacked, causing the death of two seafarers,” the official said.
European Union naval forces under Operation Atalanta and private security firm Ambrey confirmed the vessel was targeted with a combination of drone strikes and small arms fire, and that security personnel aboard the ship returned fire in defense.
Though the Houthis have not formally claimed the attack, both Yemen’s exiled government and the EU anti-piracy task force have blamed the Iran-backed rebel group for the assault.
This attack comes just days after the Houthis launched a multi-pronged assault on another Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, the Magic Seas, on Sunday. Armed with drones, missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, and automatic weapons, the rebels forced the 22-member crew to abandon ship. The Houthis later claimed the vessel had sunk in the Red Sea.
These back-to-back incidents have sparked concern of a renewed Houthi campaign targeting international maritime traffic—an effort the group says is aimed at pressuring Israel over its war in Gaza. However, observers warn the fallout could reignite regional tensions and draw U.S. and Western military responses, especially after President Donald Trump’s administration earlier launched a major airstrike campaign against the Houthis.
The flare-up in Red Sea hostilities comes at a critical geopolitical moment, as diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remain fragile and as Iran considers whether to reenter nuclear negotiations following June’s U.S. airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear sites.
Between November 2023 and January 2025, Houthi forces targeted more than 100 commercial vessels, sinking two and killing four sailors, significantly disrupting the $1 trillion in annual trade that typically passes through the Red Sea corridor. Although shipping activity had seen a modest recovery in recent weeks, the new wave of attacks threatens to reverse those gains.
Following a broad U.S.-led military offensive against Houthi targets in March, the rebels temporarily halted attacks on shipping but continued to launch occasional missile strikes toward Israel. This weekend’s attacks mark the first direct targeting of vessels by the group since the spring offensive ended.
With commercial shipping now again in the crosshairs, naval observers fear a new escalation is imminent, one that could further entangle global trade and security in one of the world’s most volatile maritime zones.
