The sinking of two cargo ships in a week – one of which resulted in the deaths of at least four sailors – signals a resumption of attacks by the Iran-backed group against commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
The Liberian-flagged Eternity C was first attacked on Monday afternoon by sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades fired from speedboats, according to maritime security sources. Seven crew members were rescued, while four were confirmed dead and 14 remain unaccounted for.
On Sunday, the Houthis also claimed responsibility for the sinking of the Magic Seas, whose entire crew was safely evacuated before the vessel went down.
These attacks signal the Houthis’ return to targeting vessels in the Red Sea, a campaign that began in November 2023 but had largely paused since December 2024. The group claims the assaults are aimed at ships linked to Israel, in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza. However, they have often targeted vessels without clear ties to Israel or its allies.
The recent deaths are the first involving Red Sea shipping since June 2024. Since late 2023, the Houthis have targeted around 70 merchant ships, sinking four, seizing one, and killing at least seven crew members.
