Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned vessel undergoes assault in the Red Sea, according to UK military reports; crew subsequently departs ship.
In a concerning development, Yemen's Houthi rebels have resumed attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, marking their first such strike since December 2024. The latest assault, which occurred on July 6-7, targeted the Liberian-registered bulk carrier *Magic Seas*.
The *Magic Seas*, which was heading north at the time of the attack, was about 51 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah when it was attacked. The vessel was carrying an armed security team on board, as reported by its broadcast, but this did not deter the attackers.
The Houthi rebels employed a combination of drone boats armed with explosives, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), small arms fire from skiffs, and missiles in their assault. Two of the drone boats successfully impacted and damaged the cargo side of the vessel, causing it to catch fire. The crew of 22 members was forced to abandon ship safely, but the ship is now taking on water and is expected to sink.
This attack is suspected to have been carried out by the Houthi rebels, although they have not yet claimed responsibility. However, the Houthi rebels have been launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in the region as an effort to end the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The resumption of attacks by the Houthi rebels has greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually. Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis had already targeted over 100 merchant vessels in the Red Sea with missiles and drones, sinking two ships and killing four sailors.
The renewed Houthi campaign against shipping could potentially draw in U.S. and Western forces to the area. Moammar al-Eryani, the information minister for Yemen's exiled government, identified the *Magic Seas* as the vessel attacked by the Houthi rebels. He accused the rebels of being a front for an Iranian scheme, claiming they are undermining regional and global stability.
The attack on the *Magic Seas* comes at a sensitive moment in the Middle East, with a possible ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war hanging in the balance and Iran considering whether to restart negotiations over its nuclear program. The authorities are currently investigating the attack on the *Magic Seas*.
This latest attack signals a potential escalation in Houthi operations targeting Red Sea shipping, which could have serious ramifications for international maritime trade. The resumption of attacks, especially involving advanced tactics such as armed drone boats, represents a renewed threat to maritime security in the Red Sea. This area is a crucial global trade artery connecting the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal to Asia and beyond. Continued Houthi attacks jeopardize commercial shipping, increase insurance and operational costs, and may disrupt global supply chains further.
- Technology was employed by the Houthi rebels in their attack on the Magic Seas, as drone boats equipped with explosives were used in the assault.
- General news outlets are reporting that the resumption of attacks by the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea could potentially draw in U.S. and Western forces, leading to a possible escalation in war-and-conflicts in the region.
- Crime-and-justice and politics are at the forefront as authorities investigate the attack on the Magic Seas, with concerns of increasing insurance and operational costs for car-accidents and other general-news incidents as a result of continued Houthi attacks on shipping.
