Two killed in two Red Sea ship attacks in 24 hours by Houthis, sparking global alarms

Dubai: Two commercial vessels were attacked in the Red Sea within 24 hours, raising international alarm over renewed Houthi aggression in a key maritime trade route.

The incidents come amid heightened Middle East tensions and fragile Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar.

On Monday, a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier came under fire while transiting northbound off Yemen’s western coast near Hodeida.

According to UK maritime security firm Ambrey, the vessel was attacked by two small skiffs and multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The assailants opened fire, prompting the ship’s onboard Armed Security Team (AST) to return fire.

Two crew members were killed, and two others are currently unaccounted for.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving reports of the incident approximately 51 nautical miles west of Hodeida. This marks the second such attack in just one day.

On Tuesday, a maritime monitor said the damaged cargo ship is under “continuous attack” in the Red Sea.

The Eternity, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, first came under attack on Monday, shortly after the Iran-backed Huthis claimed responsibility for an earlier assault on another cargo ship, the Magic Seas.

“The (Eternity) has sustained significant damage and has lost all propulsion,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, an offshoot of the British navy, said in a statement.

“The vessel is surrounded by small craft and is under continuous attack.”

A Liberian representative at the London-based International Maritime Organization said two seafarers had been killed. All but one of the 22 crew are Filipino, according to Philippines officials.

The US embassy in Yemen in a statement on X accused the Houthis of staging the attack on Eternity, describing it as “the most violent” yet and accusing the group of “undermining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea” - the main goal of a May truce between Washington and the group.

While the Iran-backed Houthis did not claim responsibility, it comes after the group struck another cargo ship, the Magic Seas, on Sunday - their first such action this year.

Mohammed Albasha, of the US-based Basha Report Risk Advisory, said the rebels may be trying to exert pressure on the United States and Israel.

“The (Magic Seas) attack could be intended as a subtle message to both Washington and Tel Aviv that Iran’s allied groups remain capable and active,” he said.

“The message is clear. The Houthis still have the ability to disrupt and are carefully choosing when to act,” he added.

On Sunday, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi militants claimed responsibility for a separate high-profile attack on the Magic Seas, a commercial vessel sailing through the Red Sea.

It was the first Houthi attack on commercial shipping on the vital maritime route this year. In May, the militants agreed a ceasefire with Washington that ended weeks of intense US strikes.

Gunmen on skiffs fired rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons at the ship, eventually forcing the crew to abandon it. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated the vessel was hit by five ballistic and cruise missiles, three drones, and two unmanned boats — ultimately claiming the ship was “completely sunk.”

He said the ship was a “legitimate target” due to alleged ties to Israeli ports.

In retaliation, the Israeli military launched a wave of airstrikes targeting key Houthi infrastructure, including the ports of Hodeida, Ras Isa, and Salif, as well as the captured Galaxy Leader cargo ship, which Israeli officials said had been equipped with radar systems to monitor Red Sea traffic.

Shortly after Israel’s strikes, the Houthis launched missiles toward Israeli territory. According to the Israeli army, two projectiles were fired from Yemen. Saree later claimed responsibility, stating that Ben Gurion Airport, the ports of Ashdod and Eilat, and a power station in Ashkelon were targeted in direct response to what he called “Israeli aggression.”

The attacks come as ceasefire negotiations in the Israel-Gaza conflict remain precarious as they continue in Doha and just weeks after US strikes reportedly damaged sensitive nuclear sites in Iran, a key Houthi ally.