Yemen Monitor/Washington/Exclusive:
The U.S. stated that the ceasefire with the Houthis remains in effect, despite the Houthis sinking two commercial ships in the past two days.
The Wall Street Journal quoted a senior US official as saying that as long as the Houthis do not fire at American ships, the US considers the ceasefire to be holding.
A spokesperson for the US Department of Defense confirmed that the US has not changed its “force posture” in response to the attacks.
Christopher Long, a former British naval officer in the Middle East and current head of intelligence at the maritime security firm Neptune P2P, stated that the lack of military presence near Houthi strongholds in the southern Red Sea means that shipping companies are fully exposed to risk in the region’s most dangerous area.
He said, “It’s a message that you’re on your own.”
The American newspaper also quoted a senior US official as saying that international efforts to protect maritime lanes have become less robust in recent months, as fewer naval forces have the capability to confront the Houthis’ increasingly sophisticated arsenal.
The Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned vessel “Eternity C” sank on July 9, 2025, after being subjected to two days of drone and missile fire. Four sailors were killed in the attacks, according to maritime officials, with 10 rescued and 11 others missing. The US mission in Yemen accused the Houthis of kidnapping several of the missing crew members whose fate remains unknown.
Another Liberian-flagged, Greek-managed vessel, the “Magic Seas,” sank on July 6, 2025, after sustaining damage from gunfire, missiles, drones, and four remote-controlled explosive boats. The entire crew was evacuated to Djibouti aboard a passing commercial vessel. The Houthi media arm shortly thereafter published a video of the strikes and the subsequent boarding of the ship by armed militants.
