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CNA
6 days ago
- CNA
Death toll rises to four in Red Sea Houthi ship attack: EU naval force
DUBAI: Four crew members of a cargo ship attacked and sunk by Yemeni rebels earlier this week are presumed dead, an EU naval force said Friday (July 11), with search operations ongoing in the Red Sea. "Fifteen crew members are missing. The four presumed casualties are among the missing crew members," the European Union's Operation Aspides naval task force told AFP, citing a private company conducting search and rescue operations. On Monday, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C in the Red Sea off the port city of Hodeida for two days before sinking it. The group says it is acting in solidarity with the Palestinian people over the war in Gaza. It was the second such attack on maritime shipping in the vital waterway in as many days after months of hiatus, marking a return to the rebels' campaign against shipping they accuse of having links to Israel. A total of 25 people were onboard the ship, according to Aspides. Many shipping companies have suspended voyages due to the fear of attack. On Thursday, the Greek operator of the vessel, Cosmoship Management, confirmed that so far ten people have been rescued - eight Filipino crew members, one Indian and one Greek security guard. The crew were forced to jump into the water, following a second attack on the vessel on Tuesday morning. Rescuers have been searching for survivors since Wednesday morning. Four people rescued on Thursday morning had spent nearly 48 hours in the water. HOUTHIS HAVE TAKEN SOME OF SHIP'S CREW On Wednesday, the Houthis' military spokesperson said in a televised address that the Yemeni navy had "responded to rescue a number of the ship's crew, provide them with medical care, and transport them to a safe location". The United States Mission to Yemen has accused the Houthis of kidnapping crew members and has called for their immediate, unconditional safe release. "We understand that the Houthis have picked up some people, and we are working through multiple channels as a matter of priority to verify this information," Cosmoship Management said. Rescuers are continuing their search, said Cosmoship, which has asked vessels passing in the area to assist in that effort. The Houthis, who control large swathes of the Arabian Peninsula's poorest country, had paused their attacks a little before a short-lived Gaza ceasefire in January before renewed them in recent days. CARGO FOR THE UN WORLD FOOD PROGRAM Eternity C had delivered a cargo for the UN World Food Program to Berbera, Somalia, and was sailing in ballast condition to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for fuel at the time of the first attack on Monday, the operator said. Both of the vessels hit this week flew Liberian flags and were operated by Greek companies. All crew from the other ship called Magic Seas were rescued before it sank. "These are blameless victims who were simply doing their job," the UK-based Seafarers' Charity association said. "Seafarers should be able to work safely at sea. Instead, they are being unfairly forced into the firing line." HOUTHIS HAVE BANNED SHIPS ASSISTING ISRAEL Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemen's Houthi fighters, reiterated in a televised address on Thursday the group's ban on companies transporting goods related to Israel through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea. He said this week's attacks were part of that ban, which has been in place since 2023. "It was never stopped or cancelled, and it is a valid decision," he said. "What was discovered (this week) was the violation by some companies of the decision."
The National
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
US condemns attacks on ships in strategic Red Sea waters
The US on Wednesday condemned this week's attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, which reignited a crisis that had been dormant since a ceasefire between Washington and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in April. "The United States condemns the unprovoked Houthi terror attack on the civilian cargo vessels MV Magic Seas and MV Eternity C in the Red Sea, which resulted in the tragic loss of three mariners, with many others injured and the complete loss of the MV Magic Seas and its cargo," the US State Department said. The Houthis claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack on the Magic Seas but have not commented on the Eternity C assault that killed three people. "These attacks demonstrate the ongoing threat that Iran-backed Houthi rebels pose to freedom of navigation and to regional economic and maritime security," the State Department added. The Eternity C, a Liberia-flagged vessel, was attacked on Monday evening off the coast of Hodeida. At least three crew members were killed in the attack by sea drones and speedboats, an EU mission and a delegation from Liberia told a meeting of the UN shipping agency IMO on Tuesday. It came after Sunday's attack on a Greek-operated ship, when the Magic Seas was hit by gunfire, drones and missiles, also in the Red Sea. Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for Sunday's attack. An official from UK maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed to Reuters on Tuesday that Liberian-flagged bulk carrier the Magic Seas had sunk, a day after Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said they struck the vessel with gunfire, rockets and explosive-laden remote controlled boats in the Red Sea. The Houthis have been attacking Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the Gaza war broke out in October 2023. But the latest incidents are rare assaults in the strategic waters near Yemen, coming two months after the US announced a truce with the Houthis aimed at halting attacks on ships in the region. Prior to the ceasefire, the US carried out heavy strikes on Yemen in response to the attacks on shipping lanes. 'The attack on the Magic Seas is not a shift in the position of the Houthis. Before the ceasefire announced by the US President in May, and even after it, the position remained that targeting Israel and ships dealing with it will continue,' a Yemeni source in Sanaa told The National. 'Every Israeli aggression against the Palestinian and Yemeni people will be met with direct strikes on Israel by the Houthis. This is the decision now, no matter the consequences,' added the Yemeni source. In response, Israel has been carrying out strikes on Yemen. The Yemeni port city of Hodeidah was struck on Sunday night, along with the ports of Ras Isa and Salif and the Ras Al Khatib power station, the Houthi-run Al Masirah television channel reported. The Israeli military said it 'struck and destroyed terror infrastructure belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime'. "The United States has been clear: we will continue to take necessary action to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping from Houthi terrorist attacks," the statement said.
Khaleej Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Damaged ship under fire in Red Sea as Houthi campaign resumes
A damaged cargo ship was under "continuous attack" in the Red Sea on Tuesday, a maritime monitor said, after Yemen's Houthi rebels ended a lull in their campaign against shipping through the vital waterway. The Eternity, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, first came under attack on Monday, shortly after the Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for an earlier assault on another cargo ship, the Magic Seas. The two incidents in quick succession raised fears of a return to regular Houthi attacks on a route that previously carried about 12 per cent of global trade. The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the ongoing attack, which has left the Eternity without engine power off the rebel-held city of Hodeida. "The (Eternity) has sustained significant damage and has lost all propulsion," the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy, said in a statement. "The vessel is surrounded by small craft and is under continuous attack." Two crew members have been injured and two others are missing, according to UK-based security firm Ambrey. All but one of the 22 crew are Filipino, according to Philippines officials. The latest incidents come after Iran, the Houthis' powerful backer, said it was open to restarting nuclear talks with the United States following its 12-day war with Israel. Mohammed Albasha, of the US-based Basha Report Risk Advisory, said the rebels may by trying to exert pressure on the United States and Israel. "The (Magic Seas) attack could be intended as a subtle message to both Washington and Tel Aviv that Iran's allied groups remain capable and active," he said. "The message is clear. The Houthis still have the ability to disrupt and are carefully choosing when to act," he added. 'Axis' leader On Monday, the Houthis said they used unmanned boats, missiles and drones against the Magic Seas, their first attack on a cargo vessel this year. All 22 people aboard the Greek-owned carrier were rescued on Monday. The Houthis said the vessel has sunk. The rebels, who have controlled large swathes of Yemen for more than a decade, began targeting Israel and ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the Gaza war broke out in October 2023. The attacks have forced many freight companies to detour around southern Africa to avoid the Red Sea, normally the prime route between Asia and Europe. The Houthis, who say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians, paused their anti-ship campaign in January during a ceasefire in Gaza. They later came under weeks of heavy US bombardment aimed at preventing a resumption of their attacks, before striking a ceasefire with Washington in May. Israel, stung by regular Houthi missile attacks, has carried out several strikes on Yemen, including a wave of air raids on Sunday. Nadwa Dawsari, of the Middle East Institute think tank, said that although the Houthis say they are fighting for the Palestinians, the Red Sea campaign "is bigger than Gaza" for the rebels. "These strikes boost their regional standing, fuel their narrative and advance their goal of becoming the new leader of the 'Axis of Resistance', all while reinforcing Iran's broader regional agenda," she posted on X.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel bombs Houthis in Yemen after rebels attack commercial ship for first time in months
Israel has carried out its first strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since the Israel-Iran ceasefire, attacking ports and a power plant around midnight local time Sunday night into Monday morning. The strikes come after at least three Houthi ballistic missiles were launched at Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), including one missile that was intercepted Saturday. The Iran-backed Houthis also claimed responsibility for an attack on the bulk carrier 'Magic Seas' in the Red Sea on Sunday, the first on commercial shipping in the region by the rebels this year. Israel struck the ports of Hodeida, Ras Isa, Salif and the Ras Kanatib power plant along the Red Sea. The IDF also hit the Galaxy Leader, a cargo ship seized by the Houthis in November 2023. 'Houthi forces installed a radar system on the ship and have been using it to track vessels in the international maritime arena to facilitate further terrorist activities,' the IDF said in a statement following the strikes. A short time before the wave of attacks, the IDF's Arabic language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, issued an evacuation warning for the ports and the power station. Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strikes were part of the newly named Operation 'Black Flag.' In a statement on social media, Katz said, 'The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions' and promised more attacks would follow if the Houthis kept launching drones and ballistic missiles at Israel. The Houthi military confirmed the strikes but said, 'Yemeni air defenses effectively confronted the Israeli aggression,' using, 'a massive barrage of locally manufactured surface-to-air missiles,' in a short statement on early Monday morning. There are no immediate reports of casualties from the strikes. Houthi political bureau member Mohammed Al Farah said targeting Yemeni ports, power stations, and other 'civilian facilities is an attempt to harm civilians and has no connection to any military activity,' according to the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV. Since Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza started in October 2023, the country has come under fire from missiles and rockets from Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, who claim to strike Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians. On Sunday, the Houthis attacked the 'Magic Seas' ship, claiming that the its owner had used Israeli ports. The rebels said they had struck the vessel with unmanned boats, missiles and drones, and it had now sunk. They have warned that they will target shipping that uses ports in Israel, which they describe as 'occupied Palestine.' The vessel's operator – Stem Shipping – told Reuters that the 'Magic Seas' had made a port call to Israel in the past, but the latest transit of the region appeared low-risk as it had nothing to do with Israel. The 'Magic Seas' crew of 19 left the boat on Sunday and were being taken by another ship to Djibouti. The United Arab Emirates foreign ministry said an Emirati operation rescued everyone aboard the ship, in close coordination with organizations like the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). A vessel responded to a distress call from the 'Magic Seas' after it came under attack and sustained 'damage' to its structure, causing its crew to abandon ship under 'difficult maritime conditions' the ministry said. In May, the Houthi group – which controls much of northern and central Yemen – agreed to halt attacks on US warships in the Red Sea after more than a month of airstrikes by US forces on its strongholds and missile infrastructure. But it did not pledge to end attacks on other shipping with alleged connections to Israel and has continued to fire ballistic missiles at Israel in support of the Palestinian population in Gaza. This story has been updated with additional developments.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Yemen's Houthi rebels claim responsibility for attacking ship in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthi rebels have claimed an attack on the bulk carrier Magic Seas, which is sinking in the Red Sea. Military spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree said the Houthis attacked the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned vessel with bomb-carrying drone boats and missiles. The attack on Sunday left the Magic Seas ablaze in the Red Sea. Its 22 crew abandoned the ship and were safely rescued. Mr Saree said the Houthis attacked the vessel as the ship belonged to a company which it said continued to do port calls in Israel. Following the attack, the Israeli military said that it struck Houthi-held ports at Hodeida, Ras Isa and Salif, as well as the Ras Kanatib power plant. It released footage showing an F-16 launching from Israel for the strike, which came after the Israeli military issued a warning for the area. 'These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the state of Israel and its allies,' the Israeli military spokesman said. He also said the military struck the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle-carrying vessel that the Houthis seized back in November 2023 when they began their attacks in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war. 'Houthi forces installed a radar system on the ship and have been using it to track vessels in the international maritime arena to facilitate further terrorist activities,' the spokesman said. The Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader was affiliated with an Israeli billionaire. It said that no Israelis were on board. The ship had been operated by a Japanese firm, NYK Line. The Houthis acknowledged the strikes but offered no damage assessment from the attack. Mr Saree claimed its air defence forces 'effectively confronted' the Israelis. Israel has repeatedly attacked Houthi areas in Yemen, including a naval strike in June. Both Israel and the United States have struck ports in the area in the past — including an American attack that killed 74 people in April — but Israel is now acting alone in attacking the rebels as they continue to fire missiles at Israel. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz threatened to launch further strikes. 'What's true for Iran is true for Yemen,' Mr Katz said in a statement. 'Anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off. The Houthis will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions.' The Houthis then responded with an apparent missile attack on Israel. The Israeli military said that it attempted to intercept the two missiles launched by the Houthis but they appeared to make impact, though no injuries have been reported. Sirens sounded in the West Bank and along the Dead Sea. The attack on the Magic Seas, a bulk carrier heading north to Egypt's Suez Canal, happened about 60 miles south west of Hodeida, which is held by the Houthis. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre first said that an armed security team on the vessel had returned fire against an initial attack of gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, though the vessel later was struck by projectiles. Ambrey, a private maritime security firm, said that the Magic Seas also had been attacked by bomb-carrying drone boats.
