The crew of a Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned vessel sailing in the Red Sea abandoned ship late Sunday, July 6, after it caught fire and took on water due to an attack involving grenades, gunfire and sea drones. While the Houthis have not yet claimed responsibility for the attack, a British maritime agency and security firm tied it to the Iran-backed Yemeni rebel group.
Crew abandons ship after it catches fire, takes on water
According to an incident report from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the ship –– known as the Magic Seas –– came under gunfire and was hit by self-propelled grenades that were launched from multiple small boats.
Members of the crew returned fire, but the ship was subsequently hit with four Unmanned Surface Vehicles, or USVs. “Two of the USVs impacted the port side of the vessel, damaging the vessel’s cargo,” the British maritime security firm Ambrey said in an advisory.
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A source with the maritime security company Diaplous told Reuters that despite the crew having to abandon the ship, there were no reports of injuries.
The strike occurred roughly 60 miles southwest of the Houthi stronghold of Hodeida in Yemen.
“It likely serves as a message that the Houthis continue to possess the capability and willingness to strike at strategic maritime targets regardless of diplomatic developments,” Mohammad al-Basha, a Yemen analyst at the Basha Report risk advisory firm, wrote.
Tensions rise following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities
The Houthis began an offensive in the Red Sea in support of Hamas following the start of its war with Israel in October 2023. Since then, the group has launched more than 100 strikes targeting ships, citing solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
As recently as March, the group claimed responsibility for two attacks off Yemen’s coast in 24 hours. Then, in April, a U.S. Navy fighter jet was swept overboard while making a sudden hard turn to evade Houthi fire.
However, in May, the U.S. and Houthis agreed to a ceasefire. At the time, President Donald Trump said, “The Houthis have announced … that they don’t want to fight any more. They just don’t want to fight. And we will honor that, and we will stop the bombings, and they have capitulated.”
Sunday’s incident marked the first attack since April.
The attack on the Magic Seas comes after the U.S. struck three Iranian nuclear facilities on June 21 –– a move the rebel group described as “brutal and cowardly aggression,” adding, “The Yemeni response to the U.S. is only a matter of time.”
A day before the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the Houthis had vowed to walk away from their pledge not to attack ships in the Red Sea if the U.S. directly involved itself with Israel’s various wars and conflicts.
U.S. officials have said the attacks jeopardize international shipping and regional security. The Red Sea is one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, and Houthi actions have raised insurance rates and threatened global supply chains.
