Yemen Monitor/ Marib/ Special:
The armed Houthi group claimed responsibility for sinking a cargo ship in the Red Sea in their first attack since last December. This attack has sparked widespread international condemnation, as it’s seen as a threat to both the environment and Yemen’s coastlines.
The attack on the Liberian-flagged vessel, MV Magic Seas, occurred on Sunday, with the Houthis claiming responsibility on Monday afternoon. The Magic Seas caught fire after the attack, which involved missiles and drones, and began taking on water. This forced its 19 crew members and three armed guards to abandon the ship. The UAE announced that it had rescued everyone on board.
The U.S. condemned the Houthi attack on the commercial vessel, stating that Houthi attacks “threaten global maritime security and international trade, and risk environmental damage that could devastate Yemen’s fishing industry and its related sectors.”
The EU strongly condemned the Houthi attack on the bulk carrier “Magic Seas” in the Red Sea. This attack endangered the lives of the ship’s crew, who had to be evacuated, and threatened a major environmental catastrophe in the region, as the ship is currently adrift and at risk of sinking.
The British Ambassador to Yemen, Abdo Sharif, warned of the growing risk of an environmental disaster in the Red Sea due to the Houthis’ continued targeting of ships. She noted that the attack on the “MV Magic Seas” also damaged another ship, increasing the potential for spills and pollution in one of the world’s most crucial waterways.
The EU stated that this is the first attack of its kind against a commercial vessel in 2025, marking a dangerous escalation that threatens maritime security in a vital waterway for the region and the world. It added that these attacks directly threaten regional peace and stability, global trade, and freedom of navigation as a global public good. They could also negatively impact the already dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.
Michael Podoroglo, a representative of Steam Shipping, one of the ship’s commercial managers, stated that the vessel was carrying iron and fertilizers from China to Turkey and had no connection to Israel.
