As the Houthis renew maritime assaults amid Gaza conflict, fears rise over regional security, global trade, and a potential return to wider conflict in Yemen.
A deadly suspected Houthi attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Red Sea has left three sailors dead and two others wounded, in what European Union naval forces describe as a major escalation in maritime threats. The strike, which targeted the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned vessel Eternity C, comes amid rising tensions linked to Israel’s war on Gaza — and raises new alarms over global shipping security.
Although Yemen’s Houthi movement has not officially claimed responsibility for Monday night’s attack, both the U.S. Embassy in Yemen and the EU naval mission have directly blamed the group.
“The Houthis are once again showing blatant disregard for human life,” the U.S. embassy said, calling the act “intentional murder” and a serious threat to freedom of navigation in one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors.
The Red Sea, a critical global shipping lane that handles over $1 trillion in goods annually, has become increasingly dangerous since late 2023. The Houthi movement, aligned with Iran and deeply entrenched in Yemen’s ongoing civil conflict, has repeatedly stated that ships with links to Israel are “legitimate targets” in a campaign to pressure Tel Aviv to end its assault on Gaza.
Following a separate attack on another vessel, Magic Seas, on Sunday, the Houthis declared their intent to escalate.
“Our operations will continue… until the aggression against Gaza stops and the blockade is lifted,” the group said in a statement.
The group’s growing naval campaign — which between November 2023 and January 2025 involved over 100 drone and missile attacks on merchant vessels — has sunk two ships and killed four sailors prior to this latest incident. These renewed assaults suggest a possible reactivation of Houthi hostilities at sea, just as the Red Sea had begun to witness a modest increase in traffic after months of sharp decline.
The European Union condemned the twin attacks as a “serious escalation” that endangers regional peace, global commerce, and maritime stability. “These attacks must stop,” the bloc urged, warning that continued assaults could worsen Yemen’s humanitarian crisis and destabilize the region further.
Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes targeted three ports in Yemen early Monday, further intensifying fears of a new cycle of conflict. These developments come amid high-stakes ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, and speculation over whether Iran will return to nuclear negotiations following its own war with Israel in June.
The Trump administration, which had previously launched a bombing campaign against Houthi targets, reached a ceasefire agreement with the group in May 2025. That pact, which included a halt in Houthi attacks on U.S.-linked ships, now hangs in the balance as violence resurfaces at sea.
As global maritime traffic cautiously resumes in the Red Sea, the latest attack is a stark reminder that peace in this volatile corridor remains fragile — and that the Houthis’ naval threat may once again reshape international trade and diplomacy in the region.