It was the first major attack in the Red Sea since mid-April - ending a weeks-long pause in the Houthi rebels’ strikes against ships in the vital maritime corridor, as part of a push to pressure Israel over the war in Gaza, following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
In early May, following a punishing wave of United States strikes in Yemen, President Donald Trump had said that the Houthis “capitulated” and “don’t want to fight anymore”.
Over more than a year, Houthi rebels have fired at Israel and merchant ships traversing the Red Sea, one of the world’s busiest waterways. The Houthis have said they are attacking ships linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports - the justification they gave for attacking the Magic Seas vessel.
The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said it received reports that a ship was attacked by “multiple small vessels who have opened fire with small arms and self-propelled grenades” off Al Hudaydah, Yemen. It did not name the ship or the attackers.
The ship was hit and began “taking on water”, forcing the crew to abandon ship, UKMTO said. The crew members, all “well and safe”, were rescued by a passing merchant vessel, it added.
The attacked ship had a 19-member crew, none of whom were injured, Michael Bodouroglou, a representative for the ship’s operator, Stem Shipping, told Reuters. It was carrying iron and fertiliser from China to Turkey, he said.
He told Reuters the ship had made a port call to Israel in the past, but this trip did not appear to be high-risk as it had nothing to do with Israel.
Israel said about 20 of its fighter jets struck Houthi targets at three Yemeni ports as well as a power plant. The Israeli military said the strikes were in response to “repeated attacks” by Houthis on Israel.
“As I warned: Yemen will be treated like Tehran. Anyone who tries to harm Israel will be struck, and anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have it cut off,” said Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz in a statement today.
The threat came after a punishing 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran last month, which began with Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The US also attacked three nuclear sites in Iran.
Tehran backs the Houthis, and the latest Red Sea attacks came as Iranian leaders considered renewed nuclear diplomacy.
Among the Israeli military’s targets was the Galaxy Leader merchant ship that the Houthis seized in 2023 and fitted with a radar system to track international vessels to attack, the military said. The Israeli Air Force published footage of what it said was the Galaxy Leader blowing up in an attack.
The Israel Defence Forces also reported that it intercepted two missiles and one drone launched from Yemen overnight.
Houthi attacks on commercial and naval vessels slowed down around the time of the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel from mid-January to mid-March.
In March, the US began what Trump called a “decisive and powerful” operation against the Houthis, which defence officials later said saw US forces strike more than 1000 Houthi targets.
The campaign was meant to send a “powerful and clear message” that attacks on global shipping must stop, said Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
By early May, Trump said the US would stop its campaign.
“They’ve said, ‘Please don’t bomb us anymore, and we’re not going to attack your ships,’” Trump said at the time.
