Intel Brief: Houthi Attacks on Commercial Vessels in Red Sea

laure7549
Jul 9
3 min read

Date: 09/07/2025

Where?

Red Sea; 51 NM off the coast of Hodeidah, Yemeni coast.

What happened?

On 06/07/2025, the MV Magic Seas (IMO:9736169), a Greek-owned Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, was attacked by the Houthis, marking the first attack by Houthi militants on a commercial vessel this year. The ship suffered an attack 51 NM SW of Hodeidah, Yemen (approximately 14°20'59.8" N 42°20'04.9" E).
The vessel was attacked by small arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs). According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the vessel's Armed Security Team (AST) returned fire. The Company Security Officer confirmed to the UKMTO at 16:01 UTC+2 on 06/07/2025 that the vessel had been struck, resulting in a fire on board.
The Houthis claimed to have sunk MV Magic Seas, with Joshua Hutchinson, managing director of the maritime security firm Ambrey, confirming the sinking to Reuters after having received reports from a nearby vessel.
All MV Magic Seas crew members were reported safe by UKMTO and were rescued by a merchant vessel, arriving in Djibouti on the same day, as confirmed by Djibouti authorities.
On 07/07/2025, another bulk carrier, the Greek-operated Liberian-flagged Eternity C (IMO:9588249), was attacked by the Houthis around the same area, 51 NM W of Hodeidah at 19:03 UTC+2. The initial attack was carried out with RPGs fired from speedboats, followed by explosive-laden (kamikaze) USVs. A subsequent attack at 09:10 UTC+2 on 08/07/2025 forced all 22 crew members to abandon ship and enter the water. A rescue mission commenced on 09/07/2025, successfully recovering four crew members and one armed guard who had been in the water for over 24 hours as their lifeboat had been struck by gunfire and was inoperable. The MV Eternity C is also reported to have sunk.
The vessel attack on MV Magic Seas was followed almost immediately by Israeli strikes on the cities of Hodeidah, Ras Isa, Salif and Ras Khatib power plant.
Following these retaliatory attacks by Israel, the Houthis claimed missile and drone attacks on several sites inside Israel on 07/07/2025, in response to Israeli airstrikes on the country. In a televised statement, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced hypersonic ballistic missiles were launched at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Ashdod Port, a power plant in the southern city of Ashkelon and eight drones were also launched at Eilat Port in southern Israel.

Looking ahead

The recent attacks by the Houthis on the MV Magic Seas and MV Eternity C, following a period of relative calm, suggest a resumption of their targeting campaign against vessels perceived to have Israeli affiliations. While it remains uncertain whether these incidents are isolated or mark the beginning of a renewed, wider campaign, recent Houthi statements have identified the Magic Seas vessel as fitting the profile of their intended targets, “belonging to a company that violated the entry ban to the ports of the occupied Palestine”. The Houthis most recent statement on implementing a naval blockade on Israel’s Haifa was put forward on May 19 and the Houthis have not made any renewed threats particularly concerning the attack of Israeli-affiliated vessels since. While Houthi activity in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has paused since December 2024, this does not indicate a shift in their underlying intent. As long as the conflict in Gaza continues, vessels with any perceived or actual links to Israel will remain at elevated risk in the Red Sea. Vessels transiting the Red Sea are therefore strongly advised to proceed with extreme caution and it is advised to monitor the situation closely.

The consistent unpredictability of the security situation in the Red Sea has already led to a significant decline in shipping traffic, with around a 50% reduction from normal levels since the initial Houthi attacks in 2023. These latest attacks are unlikely to substantially alter existing shipping patterns, as operators have already adjusted to the heightened risk environment. However, the resumption of attacks suggests that the Red Sea will remain a high-risk area for the foreseeable future. If attacks persist, there could be long-term shifts in shipping routes and strategies, as companies seek to minimize exposure to the region.