❓WHAT HAPPENED: Yemen’s Houthi rebels attacked two cargo ships in the Red Sea, killing three mariners and wounding two others.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Houthi rebels, the European Union (EU)-led Operation Aspides, and the crews of the Liberian-flagged ships Eternity C and Magic Seas.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The attacks occurred on July 7, 2025, in the Red Sea, a critical global trade route.
🎯IMPACT: The attacks raise concerns of a renewed Houthi campaign threatening vital shipping lanes and global trade.
On Monday, July 7, 2025, Houthi rebels launched a deadly assault on the Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged cargo ship Eternity C in the Red Sea, killing three crew members and injuring two, one of whom lost a leg, according to the EU’s Operation Aspides naval force. The attack involved explosive drones and small boats targeting the vessel en route to the Suez Canal.
Security personnel on board returned fire, but the ship was left adrift, with its crew unable to evacuate safely. The day prior, on Sunday, the Houthis targeted another Liberian-flagged vessel, Magic Seas, with missiles, drones, and gunfire, forcing its 22 crew members to abandon ship.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the ship sank, though this remains unverified. These attacks, the first since November 2024, signal a resurgence of Houthi aggression in the Red Sea, a critical trade route for $1 trillion in annual commerce.
The European Union (EU) naval force in the region confirmed the Eternity C attack but noted the Houthis have not officially claimed responsibility. The assaults followed Israeli airstrikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, which the rebels often cite as provocation, alongside their stated support for Palestinian militants since the Hamas-Israel conflict began in October 2023.
From November 2023 to January 2025, Houthi attacks struck over 100 merchant ships, sank two, and killed four sailors. A U.S.-led military operation earlier this year paused their activity, but these recent strikes raise concerns about renewed threats to global shipping.
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