Houthi Rebels Escalate Attacks in the Red Sea

• Yemen’s Houthi rebels attack a Liberian-flagged cargo ship.
• The Greek-owned Eternity C was under attack for hours in the Red Sea.
• Houthi claims state they’ve sunk another vessel in recent assaults.
• Fears rise of renewed hostilities in the strategic shipping lanes.
• The regional situation is sensitive amid ongoing Israel-Hamas tensions.

Escalating Assaults Raise Concerns Over Maritime Security

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have ramped up their military activity, continuing an attack on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea after claiming to have sunk another vessel. This surge in aggression poses a serious threat to maritime safety and the broader geopolitical climate in the region. Reports indicate that the cargo ship, notably the Greek-owned Eternity C, has been under persistent assault for several hours as it navigated toward the Suez Canal. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center warned that the ship remains encircled by attacking small boats and drones, with a few crew members injured and others reported missing.

Wider Implications of the Houthi Offensive

The Houthi rebels launched a coordinated strike on another Liberian-flagged ship, the Magic Seas, earlier in the week, using drones, missiles, and gunfire, which ultimately forced the crew of 22 to abandon ship. The rebels later declared this vessel sunk. The timing of these attacks has intensified fears of a broader Houthi campaign that might invoke a significant military response from U.S. and Western allies, especially after a prior airstrike campaign against the group by former President Donald Trump’s administration. Notably, this series of attacks is occurring amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, coinciding with the fragile status of a potential ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and deliberations regarding Iran’s nuclear negotiations.

Impact on Global Trade and Regional Stability

This latest wave of assaults by the Houthis is part of a longer pattern, where they have conducted missile and drone strikes against both commercial and military maritime targets in the region. The group has articulated these actions as retaliation against an ongoing Israeli operation against Hamas militants in Gaza. Since late 2023, they have executed over 100 attacks on merchant vessels with deadly outcomes, contributing to a significant drop in trade through the vital Red Sea shipping corridor—a route that typically sees around $1 trillion of goods transport each year. Adventure trade through this route had diminished greatly, although there has been a slight uptick in recent weeks, following a period of relative calm after U.S. airstrikes targeting the rebels earlier this year.

The recent attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels illustrate a significant escalation in regional maritime conflicts, with potential repercussions for international shipping and geopolitical stability. As these developments unfold, authorities and international communities remain on high alert, anticipating possible military responses and a broader escalation of conflict in the Middle East.