Another attack from Houthi rebels in Yemen on a ship in the Red Sea has left at least three dead as the search for survivors continues. The U.S. said the Houthis have also taken surviving members of the ship’s crew as hostages.
Attack on the Eternity C
The Monday attack targeted the Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated cargo ship. The ship had 25 crewmembers on board when the rebels attacked from small boats using rocket-propelled grenades.
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The Iran-backed Houthis said they attacked the ship because it was heading to Israel, according to the BBC.
Much of the crew was from the Philippines, and at least three crew members died in the attack. Six others were rescued from the water, according to a European Union naval force.
America’s embassy in Yemen said several others were kidnapped.
“We call for their immediate and unconditional safe release,” the U.S. Embassy said in a statement. “The Houthis continue to show the world why the United States was right to label them a terrorist organization.”
Attack on the Magic Seas
This attack came just one day after rebels attacked a different vessel in the Red Sea, the Magic Seas ship. The ship also flew a Liberian flag and was Greek-owned.
“These attacks directly threaten regional peace and stability, global commerce and freedom of navigation as a global public good. They can negatively impact the already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen,” a European Union naval spokesperson said in a statement. “These attacks must stop.”
The Houthis released video footage of that attack on Tuesday, July 9. All 22 crew members of the Magic Seas were rescued by a passing merchant vessel.
“These attacks demonstrate the ongoing threat that Iran-backed Houthi rebels pose to freedom of navigation and to regional economic and maritime security,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. “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, which must be condemned by all members of the international community.”
Houthi rebel violence
Since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted dozens of ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
But these latest attacks come after the Houthis agreed to a ceasefire with the U.S. in May when both sides agreed to stop targeting each other. However, the Houthis say that the ceasefire does not cover Israel.
That ceasefire came after the U.S. launched airstrikes against the Rebels in Yemen, killing dozens of people. The attack’s planning resulted in a controversy involving Secretary of State Pete Hegseth and other Trump administration officials after one of them reportedly accidentally shared the exact details of that operation with a reporter.
While the violence between the U.S. and the Houthis has mostly subsided since the ceasefire, violence between the Houthis and Israel continues. This past weekend, Israel carried out strikes on rebel targets in Yemen, and the Houthis responded with ballistic missile launches at Israel.
