Red Sea Attack Kills 3 Sailors, As Houthi Threat Resurfaces

A suspected missile strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, has left three sailors dead and two others injured, according to a European Union naval force.

The vessel, Eternity C, owned by a Greek company, was hit late Monday in what marks a deadly escalation in maritime attacks across one of the world’s most critical trade routes.

Though the Houthis have not officially claimed responsibility for the assault, both the European Union and the United States have placed blame squarely on the Iran-aligned group.

The U.S. Embassy in Yemen, which has operated out of Saudi Arabia since Yemen’s civil war intensified, condemned the attack as a blatant disregard for civilian life.

“The Houthis are once again showing blatant disregard for human life, undermining freedom of navigation in the Red Sea,” the embassy stated Tuesday.

“The intentional murder of innocent mariners shows us all the Houthis’ true colors and will only further the Houthis’ isolation.”

The attack on Eternity C comes just a day after the Houthis claimed they had struck another vessel, the Magic Seas, asserting that ships linked to Israel are “legitimate targets” in their ongoing campaign.

The group has repeatedly stated that their maritime operations are in response to Israel’s continued military actions in Gaza, which human rights groups have widely criticized as genocidal.

“Our operations will continue to target the depth of the Israeli entity in occupied Palestine, as well as to prevent Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian Seas and to disrupt the Umm al-Rashrash [Eilat] port, until the aggression against Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted,” the Houthis declared in a recent statement.

These two maritime incidents may signal the beginning of a renewed and potentially protracted offensive against shipping in the Red Sea.

“The waterway had seen a gradual increase in vessel traffic in recent weeks following months of reduced activity due to previous attacks.

Sunday’s assault prompted a sharp rebuke from the European Union, Israel’s top trade partner, which called the incident a dangerous step toward further instability.

“It is the first such attack against a commercial vessel in 2025, a serious escalation endangering maritime security in a vital waterway for the region and the world,” the EU said.

“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.

“These attacks must stop.”

The recent violence also coincides with a fresh wave of Israeli airstrikes on three Yemeni ports early Monday.

Analysts fear this could reignite full-scale confrontations in the Red Sea, drawing in U.S. and Western forces once again.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration launched a sweeping bombing campaign in Yemen aimed at deterring Houthi aggression.

A temporary ceasefire was reached in May, during which the Houthis agreed to halt attacks on U.S. vessels.

Now, that fragile truce appears to be unraveling just as diplomatic efforts intensify in the region.

A potential ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas remains uncertain.

Also, Iran is reportedly considering whether to re-engage in talks about its nuclear program following its brief but intense war with Israel in June.

Between November 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis mounted more than 100 attacks on commercial vessels using drones and missiles.

Two ships were sunk and four crew members lost their lives during that campaign.

The offensive caused a significant disruption in the flow of international trade, particularly in the Red Sea corridor, a passageway that typically sees $1 trillion in goods annually.

Although ship traffic through the Red Sea remains lower than usual, recent weeks had seen a modest uptick, raising hopes of stabilization.

But with the latest deadly incidents, those hopes may quickly be dashed as maritime operators reassess the safety of the route.

As tensions rise and more international players respond, the security of global shipping lanes once again hangs in the balance.

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