A Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated bulk carrier came under lethal assault in the Red Sea Monday, marking the deadliest escalation in months of maritime attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. At least four crew members aboard the Eternity C were killed and two injured after drones and armed speedboats struck the vessel approximately 50 nautical miles southwest of Hodeida, Yemen, according to maritime officials and EU naval authorities.
The assault came less than 24 hours after the Houthis claimed responsibility for the sinking of another Liberian-flagged Greek-owned vessel, the Magic Seas, raising fears of renewed Houthi aggression after a brief period of relative calm. "Just as Liberia was processing the shock and grief of the attack against Magic Seas, we received a report that Eternity C again has been attacked... causing the death of two seafarers," Liberia's shipping delegation said during a United Nations maritime session.
Monday's strike marks the second fatal Houthi attack on commercial vessels in the Red Sea since June and brings the number of seafarers killed in such incidents to at least eight. The Eternity C, operated by Cosmoship Management and crewed by 21 Filipinos and one Russian, was left adrift and listing, according to private maritime security firm Ambrey.
Greece-based Diaplous Maritime Services was reportedly preparing a rescue mission for remaining crew, while Greek officials engaged Saudi Arabia diplomatically over the incident. The European Union's Operation Atalanta confirmed the Eternity C had not requested an escort prior to the assault and that its armed security detail returned fire during the attack.
The Houthis have not formally claimed responsibility for the Eternity C assault but broadcasted video footage they said showed Sunday's attack on the Magic Seas, including explosions and the crew's Mayday call. Reuters was unable to independently verify the footage, though Djibouti confirmed all 22 crew members from the Magic Seas had been rescued and brought safely ashore.
The U.S. State Department condemned what it called "unprovoked Houthi terror attacks on the civilian cargo vessels," warning that the incidents "demonstrate the threats the Houthis pose to freedom of navigation and regional security." The department added, Washington "will continue to take necessary action to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping."
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the renewed violence "constitutes a renewed violation of international law and freedom of navigation."
The back-to-back attacks reignite concerns over maritime security in the Red Sea, a strategic trade corridor linking Europe and Asia through the Suez Canal. Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched hundreds of drone and missile strikes at vessels they allege are connected to Israel, disrupting regional commerce. The militia claims the attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel's war in Gaza.
"After several months of calm, the resumption of deplorable attacks in the Red Sea constitutes a renewed violation of international law," Dominguez stated Tuesday. Ambrey's Managing Director Joshua Hutchinson confirmed to Reuters that the Magic Seas had gone down, while observers noted the Houthis' pattern of delayed claim responsibility.
Aspides, the EU naval mission protecting Red Sea shipping, confirmed Monday's attack was the second on merchant shipping in the region since November 2024. On the same day, the Israeli military launched airstrikes against Houthi targets at three Yemeni ports and a power plant-the first such Israeli strike in a month.
