Attacked While Passing Through the Red Sea
Attack Method Suggests Responsibility of Yemeni Houthi Rebels
Possibility of Intensified Avoidance of the Red Sea
According to reports from AP and other sources on July 6 (local time), a cargo ship passing through the Red Sea was attacked in an incident suspected to be the work of Houthi rebels, forcing the crew to abandon the sinking vessel and escape. Tensions are rising in the shipping industry over the possibility of renewed attacks by the Houthi rebels.
According to AP and Reuters, the Magic Seas, a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier operated by the Greek company Stem Shipping, was attacked while passing through the Red Sea, 94 kilometers southwest of the port of Hodeidah, which is controlled by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Foreign media reported that while the perpetrator has not been officially identified, the method of attack suggests it was likely carried out by the Houthi rebels in Yemen. The War Zone, a U.S. military news outlet, reported that the Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, citing their support for Palestine in the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas.
After the attack, the Magic Seas caught fire and began to sink, prompting the entire crew to attempt an escape. They were rescued by another merchant vessel passing nearby. There were no injuries among the crew.
Michael Bodouroglou, CEO of Stem Shipping, which owns the Magic Seas, told the Financial Times (FT), "The crew was terrified after repeated attacks," adding, "At first, it was unclear whether it was the Houthis or pirates, but it later became obvious, especially as the number of attackers increased and even missiles appeared."
Since January of this year, when a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel began to be discussed in Gaza, the Houthi rebels had halted attacks on civilian merchant ships and instead targeted key Israeli facilities such as airports. Martin Kelly, chief advisor at maritime security firm EOS Risk Group, noted that the Houthi rebels launched this large-scale attack after a significant period of inactivity, analyzing that "this attack indicates a change in the Houthi rebels' intentions."
The Red Sea route connects Western Europe and East Asia, passing through the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal, and the Red Sea, making it the fastest maritime route to the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific. However, due to the war, most shipping companies are using alternative routes out of concern for possible attacks by the Houthi rebels on the Red Sea route.
If it is confirmed that the Houthi rebels were behind this attack and that this marks the resumption of their assaults on civilian merchant vessels, the shipping industry's avoidance of the Red Sea is expected to intensify.
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