First time in several months: Houthis attacked a dry cargo ship in the Red Sea

On Sunday, July 6, Yemeni Houthis attacked a vessel 51 nautical miles southeast of the port city of Hodeidah in the Red Sea. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Reuters agency and the report of the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

Details

It is noted that the Greek bulk carrier Magic Seas, flying the Liberian flag, was attacked with unmanned boats, small arms, and hand-held grenade launchers. The sailors on board returned fire.

Two unmanned surface vessels struck the port side of the vessel, damaging the ship's cargo. Two more were intercepted and destroyed

During the incident, the ship caught fire and began to sink. There were no reports of injured crew members. According to agency sources, the sailors abandoned the ship.

The Houthis later claimed responsibility for the attack. They stated that they attacked the bulk carrier in "support" of Palestinians in Gaza.

According to the news agency, this was the first such Houthi attack in the vital shipping lane in the Red Sea since mid-April. At that time, in the Aden area, for the first time in several months, members of the Yemeni group followed a ship in small vessels and fired at it.

Recall

NATO commanders state the need to rethink naval defense due to growing threats from new technologies. Warships face a wide range of threats, including missiles and drones, which are actively developing in conflict zones.

In March 2025, US warships shot down about a dozen Houthi drones that were targeting the US Navy's "Truman" aircraft carrier strike group. Trump ordered airstrikes on areas in Yemen.

The US military has carried out over 800 strikes against Houthis in Yemen, eliminating hundreds of militants and leaders. The Houthis claim dozens of deaths as a result of US attacks.