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The National
5 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Houthis emerge as threat global powers can no longer dismiss
A string of deadly attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on commercial shipping has once again propelled the group on to the world stage, highlighting its evolution from a local insurgency into a regional force capable of challenging global trade and defying military pressure from major powers. Last week, the Houthis struck two Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged cargo vessels, the MV Magic Seas and MV Eternity C, in the Red Sea, sinking both and causing the deaths of several seafarers. The incident also saw crew members taken hostage. Private security companies Ambrey and Diaplous Group co-ordinated search efforts for the missing crew of Eternity C, which included a three-man security team. The ship was attacked on July 7 in an assault involving bomb-laden drones before it eventually sank. The attack came a day after the Magic Seas was struck. The escalation happened at a particularly sensitive moment in the Middle East: talks over a possible Israel-Hamas ceasefire remain fragile, while Iran – the Houthis' primary backer – is considering whether to re-engage in nuclear negotiations after enduring US air strikes on key nuclear sites during its 12-day war with Israel in June. The Houthis ' return to the sea war has reignited international alarm and left experts warning that the rebels are now too embedded and too adaptable to be ignored. Despite a months-long US air campaign dubbed Operation Rough Rider, and a series of strategic setbacks for Iran – including Israeli strikes on its nuclear and proxy infrastructure – the Houthis have survived and even expanded their disruptive reach. Many in the group now view the May 6 ceasefire agreement with the US as a vindication of their steadfastness, observers argue. The Trump administration launched the air campaign in response to the group's attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a crucial global trade route, and on close ally Israel. 'The degrading of Hezbollah and the 12-day Israel-Iran war have slightly worked to the benefit of the Houthis. Iran is seeing value in the Houthis as the only group within the 'Axis of Resistance' that has managed to remain intact. The relationship is not costly on Iran, yet it yields huge benefits,' said Baraa Shiban, a Yemen expert and associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a UK-based defence and security think tank. Mr Shiban noted that Tehran supplies the Houthis with weapons, technology and limited financial backing, and receives valuable leverage in return. 'Iran played an important role in the ceasefire with the US and managed to pressure the Houthis to halt attacks against US ships. This means they can influence the group to resume attacks as needed,' he added. 'Operational independence' The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, have ruled large parts of northern Yemen since 2015 and now exert control over territory home to about 25 million people. While the group receives military and political support from Iran, analysts say it functions autonomously – crafting its own strategies, building local institutions and cultivating external relationships that extend beyond Tehran. 'The Houthis possess a notable degree of resilience and operational independence from Iran. Unlike Hezbollah, which is heavily dependent on Iranian financial and material support, the Houthis have managed to cover a significant portion of their financial needs independently,' Arman Mahmoudian, a research fellow at the Global and National Security Institute in Florida, told The National. 'Their domestic revenue streams include smuggling, religious taxation and administrative income from the areas they control in Yemen.' Mr Mahmoudian also noted the group's technological self-sufficiency, cohesive internal structure and capacity to resist intelligence infiltration. 'While not a tribal entity per se, their organisational behaviour mirrors traditional tribal dynamics. Intelligence penetration is extremely difficult, and loyalty levels are high – a legacy of their survivalist history.' The Houthis' disruptive capability has been most visible at sea. Since November 2023, they have launched more than 100 attacks on international shipping in what the group's leadership has described as an effort to end Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza. Their strikes have forced global carriers to reroute around Africa, adding weeks to shipping times and driving up costs. In one of their earliest escalations, the Houthis hijacked the Galaxy Leader, a ship with partial Israeli ownership, in November 2023 and have held its crew hostage for more than a year. Their first fatal strike on a commercial vessel came in March last year, killing three crew members aboard a bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden. This month, the attacks turned deadly again. Israel responded by striking key Houthi ports, a power station and the Galaxy Leader, which the Houthis had been using to track other ships. The two attacks and a round of Israeli air strikes attacking the rebels raised fears of a renewed Houthi campaign against shipping that could again draw in US and western forces. Although the group has not publicly attacked a US vessel since the May 6 ceasefire, it has continued to launch intermittent missile attacks on Israeli targets. The US-Houthi agreement did not address the rebels' attacks on Israel. The Houthis maintain that they are attacking vessels they believe breach a self-imposed blockade on Israeli ports. Vigilance on rebels The UN Security Council authorised on Tuesday continued reporting on attacks on ships in the Red Sea by the Houthis, who have defied its previous demands to immediately halt all such attacks. The vote in the 15-member council was 12-0 with Russia, China and Algeria abstaining because of attacks against Yemen in breach of its sovereignty, a clear reference to US air strikes against the Houthis. Observers argue that both Russia and China have contributed, either directly or indirectly, to the Houthis' operational sustainability and international positioning. 'In 2024, Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, reportedly provided the Houthis with targeting data for attacks on US ships,' said Mr Mahmoudian. 'Also, some Yemeni fighters, with Houthi approval, joined Russian military efforts in Ukraine, particularly within Russia's private military companies. This arrangement has offered revenue and strategic depth to the Houthis.' On the Chinese front, he added, the US sanctioned the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company for providing satellite imagery that aided Houthi strikes. The resolution, co-sponsored by the US and Greece, extends the requirement that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres provide monthly reports to the Security Council about Houthi attacks in the Red Sea until January 15, 2026. On Wednesday, the US Central Command said that Yemeni partners had intercepted a shipment of Iranian weapons bound for the Houthis. In a statement, US Central Command, which oversees US military interests in the Middle East, congratulated the Yemeni National Resistance Forces for what it called 'the largest seizure of Iranian advanced conventional weapons in their history'. Yet analysts say international actors continue to underestimate the long-term threat posed by the Houthis. 'The Houthis will continue to build their capacity and capabilities to continue harming Western interests. They believe that they are more valuable when they can leverage and harm US interests in the region,' said Mr Shiban. 'They now feel emboldened by the lack of action from the international community. They also don't fear losing territory. If the Houthis don't feel pressure and a real threat from losing control of terrain, they will continue threatening international shipping lanes.'
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Yahoo
First Red Sea Attack On Commercial Shipping Since December Launched By Houthis (Updated)
The Houthis rebels of Yemen launched their first attack on Red Sea shipping since December, striking the Liberian-registered Magic Seas bulk cargo vessel with drone boats, rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and small arms fire. The ship is currently ablaze. The Houthis claimed credit for the attack, saying it was in support of Palestinians in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. While official reports do not name the vessel, a maritime security official confirmed that it was the Magic Seas. The bulk cargo ship was transiting north in the Red Sea about 51 nautical miles southwest of the Yemeni port of Hodeidah when it was attacked by eight skiffs that opened fire with small arms and RPGs, according to an alert from the Ambrey maritime security firm. The ship's 'Armed Security Team (AST) had returned fire. Ambrey assessed the situation as ongoing and will provide updates when available,' the alert stated. A short while later, 'the vessel was subsequently attacked by four Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs),' the Ambrey alert continued. 'Two of the USVs impacted the port side of the vessel, damaging the vessel's cargo. The remaining two USVs were intercepted and destroyed by the AST. Based on AIS data, the vessel was still underway at the time of writing. Ambrey assessed the vessel to meet the established Houthi target profile. Ambrey assessed the situation as ongoing and will provide updates when available.' Ambrey advised that when a vessel is attacked by USVs, 'non-essential crew gather in a safe muster point above the waterline.' UKMTO_WARNING_INCIDENT_026-25 – ATTACK Update 001https:// #MarSec — UKMTO Ops Centre (@UK_MTO) July 6, 2025 In a message posted on its Al Ansar Telegram channel, the Houthis also said the Magic Seas fit the profile of ships to be targeted. 'Four naval drones attacked a ship,' the Houthis stated. 'Our assessment indicates that the attacked ship meets the Yemeni criteria for targeting ships. Two naval drones collided with the left side of the ship, causing damage to its cargo.' The Houthi shipping attacks began in November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians over the latest war between Israel and Gaza. They have forced some ships to avoid the Suez Canal for a far longer route around Africa, boosting shipping costs by nearly $200 billion. The Houthis' attacks sank two vessels, damaged many others, caused the death of four mariners, and led to many being held hostage after a ship was seized. The Houthi Red Sea campaign also led to nearly constant military engagements with the U.S. and its allies, including air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and repelling the militant group's frequent missile, aerial drone, and drone boat attacks on commercial and military vessels. In March, the U.S. launched intensified airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the shipping attacks. A ceasefire was later reached. It is unclear whether the U.S. Navy or any other navies have responded to the Magic Seas. We have reached out to the Navy and the European-led Operation Aspides maritime security task force for more information. At the moment, we do not know whether this is a one-off attack or whether the Houthis have started a new campaign against Red Sea shipping. We will watch this situation and provide updates when issued a new update: 'Ambrey received information that the vessel was taking on water and that the crew were preparing to abandon ship.'The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched new attacks on Houthi targets in Yemen, including striking the Galaxy Leader, a vessel the rebels hijacked in November 2023. The IDF said the Houthis were using the ship as a radar platform to track shipping. You can see video of that incident below. NEW VIDEO: Yemen's Houthi rebels hijack a cargo ship in the Red Sea over the weekend — Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) November 20, 2023 The following is the IDF statement: 'IAF fighter jets, guided by intelligence from the IDF Intelligence Directorate and the Israeli Navy, struck and destroyed terror infrastructure belonging to the Houthi terrorist regime. Among the targets were the ports of Al Hudaydah, Ras Isa, and Salif. These ports are used by the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons from the Iranian regime, which are employed to carry out terrorist operations against the State of Israel and its allies. The strike was carried out in response to the repeated attacks by the Houthi terrorist regime against the State of Israel, its civilians, and civilian infrastructure, including the launching of UAVs and surface-to-surface missiles toward Israeli territory. The Houthi terrorist regime exploits the maritime domain to project force and conduct terrorist activity against passing vessels and global maritime commerce. The targets struck demonstrate the regime's systematic use of civilian infrastructure for terrorist purposes. Among the terror targets struck at the port of Ras Isa was the Galaxy Leader, a commercial vessel seized by the Houthi terrorist regime in November 2023. Houthi forces installed a radar system on the ship and have been using it to track vessels in the international maritime arena to facilitate further terrorist activities. Additionally, the Ras Kanatib power plant, which served as a significant electricity supply facility for the Houthi regime's military operations, was struck. This is another example of how the Houthi regime uses civilian infrastructure. The Houthi terrorist regime serves as a central proxy of the Iranian regime and receives funding and weaponry for its operations. It is a partner in Iran's global terrorist activity. The IDF is determined to continue operating decisively against any threat to the citizens of the State of Israel, wherever required.' Contact the author: howard@
AsiaOne
15-07-2025
- AsiaOne
Rescued crew of Greek ship sunk by Houthis taken to Saudi Arabia, World News
ATHENS — Ten mariners rescued after Houthi militants sank a Greek ship last week have arrived in Saudi Arabia, maritime security sources said on Monday (July 14), after rescuers ended their search for the remaining crew. The rescue mission began on Wednesday when the Iran-aligned group sank the Liberia-flagged Eternity C cargo ship, with 22 crew and three armed guards on board, after attacking the vessel with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades over two consecutive days. Eight crew members and two security guards were rescued. All the crew were Filipino, except for one Russian. On Sunday, maritime risk management firm Diaplous and British security firm Ambrey said in a joint statement that the vessel's owner had decided to end the privately-run search for the remaining crew. "The decision to end the search has been taken by the vessel's owner reluctantly, but it believes that, in all the circumstances, the priority must now be to get the 10 souls safely recovered alive ashore," they said. The ship carrying the rescued crew has arrived in Jizan, a Diaplous official said. The remaining 15 people who were on board are considered missing, according to the vessel's Greece-based manager, Cosmoship. Five of them are believed to have died before the vessel sank, according to maritime security sources. The Houthis said last week that they picked up some of the crew after the vessel went down. Cosmoship said that it was trying to verify the claim. Before attacking Eternity C the Houthis had sunk another Greek ship, the Magic Seas. Its crew were rescued by a passing ship. The EU's naval mission Aspides, which protects shipping in the Red Sea, has said that it had no naval assets in the area at the time of the attacks. No international naval force was present, according to maritime security sources. The Houthis have attacked more than 100 ships since November 2023 in what they say is an act of solidarity with the Palestinians over the Gaza war. [[nid:720066]]
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Straits Times
Rescued crew of Greek ship sunk by Houthis taken to Saudi Arabia
ATHENS - Ten mariners rescued after Houthi militants sank a Greek ship last week have arrived in Saudi Arabia, maritime security sources said on Monday, after rescuers ended their search for the remaining crew. The rescue mission began on Wednesday when the Iran-aligned group sank the Liberia-flagged Eternity C cargo ship, with 22 crew and three armed guards on board, after attacking the vessel with sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades over two consecutive days. Eight crew members and two security guards were rescued. All the crew were Filipino, except for one Russian. On Sunday, maritime risk management firm Diaplous and British security firm Ambrey said in a joint statement that the vessel's owner had decided to end the privately-run search for the remaining crew. "The decision to end the search has been taken by the vessel's owner reluctantly, but it believes that, in all the circumstances, the priority must now be to get the 10 souls safely recovered alive ashore," they said. The ship carrying the rescued crew has arrived in Jizan, a Diaplous official said. The remaining 15 people who were on board are considered missing, according to the vessel's Greece-based manager, Cosmoship. Five of them are believed to have died before the vessel sank, according to maritime security sources. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Public healthcare institutions to record all Kpod cases, confiscate vapes: MOH, HSA Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat The Houthis said last week that they picked up some of the crew after the vessel went down. Cosmoship said that it was trying to verify the claim. Before attacking Eternity C the Houthis had sunk another Greek ship, the Magic Seas. Its crew were rescued by a passing ship. The EU's naval mission Aspides, which protects shipping in the Red Sea, has said that it had no naval assets in the area at the time of the attacks. No international naval force was present, according to maritime security sources. The Houthis have attacked more than 100 ships since November 2023 in what they say is an act of solidarity with the Palestinians over the Gaza war. REUTERS
Nahar Net
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Search ends for those missing after Yemen's Houthi rebels sink ship in Red Sea
by Naharnet Newsdesk 14 July 2025, 15:57 The search for those missing after Yemen's Houthi rebels sank a ship in the Red Sea has ended as at least four people are presumed dead and 11 others remain unaccounted for, the private security firms involved said Monday. The announcement came as satellite photos show long, trailing oil slicks from where the bulk carrier Eternity C sank, as well as another where the sinking of the bulk carrier Magic Seas by the Iranian-backed Houthis took place. Both ships were attacked over a week ago by the rebels as part of their campaign targeting vessels over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip that's upended shipping in the Red Sea, through which $1 trillion of goods usually passes a year. Search called off as mariners missing The private security firms Ambrey and Diaplous Group ran the search for those missing from the Eternity C, which had a three-man security team aboard but requested no escort from either the U.S. Navy or a European Union force in the region. The ship came under attack July 7 and faced hours of Houthi assaults by small arms and bomb-carrying drones before ultimately sinking in the Red Sea. The initial attack on the Eternity C came a day after the attack on the Magic Seas. Both ships were Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned vessels. Ten people were recovered alive from the attack, including eight Filipino crew members and a Greek and Indian from the vessel's security team, the EU's Operation Aspides said. At least four are presumed to have been killed in the attack, leaving 11 others missing, the EU mission has said. The Houthis claimed to have taken some mariners after the attack, but have offered no evidence of that. The U.S. Embassy in Yemen said it believed the rebels had "kidnapped" some of the crew. "The decision to end the search has been taken by the vessel's Owner reluctantly but it believes that, in all the circumstances, the priority must now be to get the 10 souls safely recovered alive ashore and to provide them with the urgent medical support they need at this difficult time," a statement by the security firms said. "The thoughts of all those involved in the rescue operation are with the families of those who remain missing." Oil slicks seen after two vessels sank The attacks on the vessels also raised concerns about damage to the environment in the Red Sea, home to corals and wildlife that draws divers, tourists and scientists. Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC analyzed Monday by The Associated Press show large, spreading oil slicks in the southern Red Sea where the vessels sank. Wim Zwijnenburg, an analyst with the Dutch peace organization PAX, estimated the length of the slick from the Eternity C at some 80 kilometers (50 miles) and from the Magic Seas at some 65 kilometers (40 miles). He warned it could threatened wildlife reserves in nearby Eritrea in Africa and elsewhere. The oil comes from the ship's tanks and had been used for their own propulsion. Other shipping disasters have seen much of the slicks evaporate on their own, though they cause damage to the environment, too. Houthis have attacked shipping since 2023 From November 2023 to December 2024, the Houthis targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones. In their campaign so far, the Houthis have sank four vessels and killed at least eight mariners. The Houthis stopped their attacks during a brief ceasefire in the war. They later became the target of an intense weekslong campaign of airstrikes ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump before he declared a ceasefire had been reached with the rebels. The Houthis' new attacks come as a new possible ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war remains in the balance. Meanwhile, the future of talks between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran's battered nuclear program is in question after Israel launched a 12-day war against the Islamic Republic that saw the Americans bomb three Iranian atomic sites.
