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Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump claimed victory against the Houthis in fight over Red Sea shipping. Now they are sinking tankers again
Yemen's Houthi rebels have begun attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea again, just two months after Donald Trump claimed victory in an air campaign against the militant group to stop them. The Iran-backed group captured and sank a Greek-owned bulk carrier named 'Magic Seas' on Tuesday using drones, missiles and rocket-propelled grenades, forcing its 22 crew members to abandon ship. The Houthis sank another Greek-operated vessel called 'Eternity C' on Wednesday, leaving at least four dead and 15 missing. The attacks come after months of relative calm in the crucial global shipping route that followed a fierce bombing campaign by the Trump administration against the Houthis. Trump launched the bombings in April to stop a wave of attacks by the militant group against Red Sea ships in response to Israel's war in Gaza. The United States carried out more than 1,100 strikes, killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and spent more than $1 billion over the 52-day campaign, U.S. officials told the New York Times. But the U.S military was not able to gain air superiority over the durable rebel group, and the Houthis were still shooting down American drones and firing at naval ships in the Red Sea 30 days into the war. Trump announced a truce on 6 May, claiming the Houthis had 'capitulated but, more importantly, we will take their word that they say they will not be blowing up ships anymore. And that's what the purpose of what we were doing.' 'We hit them very hard and they had a great ability to withstand punishment,' he said. He added that 'they gave us their word that they wouldn't be shooting at ships anymore, and we honor that.' That did not prove to be the case. Even at the time, that result seemed unlikely. The Houthis stopped short of declaring a full ceasefire, said that they would continue to fight Israel, and claimed victory for themselves. The group has continued to fire missiles towards Israel, and Israel has carried out extensive strikes against the Houthis, including against three Yemeni ports and a power plant earlier this week. The Houthis released a slick propaganda video Tuesday showing the attack on Magic Seas. The footage showed masked men taking control of the ship, then chanting the Houthis' slogan: "God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam." The video ends with explosives planted on the ship being detonated, before it sinks beneath the surface. The renewed attacks raised the possibility that the U.S. may once again be drawn into a fight against the Houthis, who have proven remarkably resilient to airstrikes over the years. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement that the attacks 'demonstrate the ongoing threat that Iran-backed Houthi rebels pose to freedom of navigation and to regional economic and maritime security." "The United States has been clear: We will continue to take necessary action to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping from Houthi terrorist attacks," she added. The Houthis' fight with Israel is part of a much wider regional war that was sparked by a surprise attack by Hamas on southern Israel on 7 October, 2023. When Israel bombarded Gaza in response, the Houthis joined the fight on the side of Hamas, firing drones and missiles towards Israel. The group then widened its attacks to target shipping in the Red Sea, attacking more than 100 ships from November 2023 to December 2024, and promising to end only when Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has now killed more than 55,000 people, mostly civilians. Former president Joe Biden, Trump's predecessor, launched airstrikes against Yemen on January 10, 2024, 'in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea.' Those strikes failed to deter the Houthis, and the attacks only stopped when a ceasefire was brokered between Israel and Hamas in January. The Houthis resumed their attacks when Israel imposed a blockade on food and aid entering Gaza in March, which prompted Trump to launch his own campaign to stop the group. Announcing the strikes on 15 March, Trump said the Houthis had 'waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones.' "We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective," he wrote on Truth Social, later adding that the campaign was aimed at targeting Houthi leaders and officials. Trump's involvement in Yemen drew criticism from his own supporters, who argue it contradicts his promises to end 'endless wars' and his 'America First' campaign slogan.
The National
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Satellite images show impact of Israeli strikes on Yemeni ports held by Houthi rebels
Repeated Israeli strikes on Yemeni ports held by Houthi rebels have had little effect on the operations there, satellite images indicate. Fuel shipments at ports controlled by the Iran-backed group have continued despite disruption to pipelines, with the Houthis finding alternative means of getting supplies ashore, analysis shows. Israel launched its most recent attacks overnight on July 6. Air strikes targeted the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Al Salif, the Ras Kanatib power station and the cargo ship Galaxy Leader − which was hijacked by the Houthis in 2023 and Israel claims was being used to monitor international shipping. Israel has hit key Houthi-controlled ports numerous times Since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, the Houthis have regularly attacked shipping in the Red Sea and fired missiles and drones at Israel. The rebels say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians. Here, The National looks at what Israel has targeted and the impact − or lack of impact − of strikes on Houthi infrastructure. Hodeidah – the Houthis' largest port Hodeidah, the Houthis' main gateway to the Red Sea, has been struck multiple times since July 2024. Imagery from July 4, 2025, reveals heavy crater damage, undoubtedly affecting and limiting fuel operations. Impact on As Salif, Ras Isa and Ras Kanatib after Israeli strikes on July 7, 2025 Below is a series of satellite images showing before and after damage to two ports and a power station along the coast of Houthi-controlled Hodeidah on the Red Sea. All three locations have been key to Houthi refuelling and stockpiles. As Salif port: Strikes along the full length of the pier. Despite damage, cargo vessels remain docked. Ras Isa terminal: Strikes targeted fuel terminals and the hijacked Galaxy Leader, which is docked at the port. Ras Kanatib power station: New damage is visible on what appear to be the main generator units. Ships keep docking and fuel keeps flowing Visual time-lapse satellite data from July 2024 to July 2025 shows fuel shipments to Houthi-held ports have not stopped. Ships continue to dock, and alternative offloading methods are being used to bypass damaged infrastructure. 'Big shipments have been affected significantly. But the Houthis adapt − they use alternate docks or just a simple pipe and a tanker to move oil,' said Baraa Shabani, a senior fellow with the London-based Royal United Services Institute think tank. Offshore fuel transfers Some Houthi-affiliated tankers, such as Valente and VLCC Yemen, are seen transferring fuel offshore, a strategy that allows them to bypass ports altogether. Satellite images show ships anchored in the sea, side-by-side near Hodeidah. "Israel's military goals look very ambiguous, It's not clear what they are trying to achieve through these strikes" Baraa Shaiban , Rusi While the strikes have targeted port infrastructure, most of the Houthis' weaponry and power bases remain inland, untouched. Analysts have questioned the long-term strategic value of Israel's approach. 'Israel's military goals look very ambiguous, It's not clear what they are trying to achieve through these strikes,' said Mr Shabani. 'If the aim is to eliminate the Houthis threat now, of course,Houthis' they haven't been successful. The Houthis will continue attacking, attacking Israel. 'But if the aim is just to send a message that they can, hit them. As a form of deterrence, then you can say yes, they've, signalled that multiple times. For the Houthis, the main fear is if they lose terrain, if they lose land, and that's not happening at the moment. Symbolic and disruptive Despite sustained bombing campaigns, the Houthis continue to launch missiles and attack vessels in the Red Sea. Two ships have been sunk in Houthi attacks in the past week or so – the Magic Seas on July 6 and the Eternity C on July 9. While all 22 people on the Magic Seas were rescued, four of the 25 crew on the Eternity C are presumed dead, with another 11 unaccounted for. As images show continued fuel movement and maritime adaptability, the Houthis' resilience raises questions about the effectiveness of Israel's air campaign. While symbolic and disruptive, the strikes have not yet significantly altered the rebel group's operational capabilities.
News24
11-07-2025
- Politics
- News24
19 crew still missing after deadly Houthi attack on two ships in Red Sea
Yemen's Houthis attack two ships in the Red Sea. Both Eternity C and Magic Seas vessels sank after the attacks. 19 crew are missing. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for the deadly sinking of a merchant vessel earlier this week, their second attack in 24 hours as they resumed their campaign against Red Sea shipping. The Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, was badly damaged in the attack that started on Monday and continued into Tuesday, when the ship sank. Yemen's rebels claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a day after they boarded and sank the Magic Seas - their first attack on merchant shipping this year. Their resumed attacks mark the end of a months-long lull and threaten a May ceasefire with the US that ended weeks of strikes on Houthi targets. 'The naval force of the Yemeni Armed Forces targeted the ship Eternity C,' Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said, claiming that the vessel was headed for the Israeli port of Eilat and was attacked in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Saree said the attack was carried out with an unmanned vessel and six cruise and ballistic missiles. He said the Houthis had 'moved to rescue a number of the ship's crew, provide them with medical care and transport them to a safe location'. But the US embassy accused the rebels of kidnapping those crew members who had not been rescued by Western navies. 'After killing their shipmates, sinking their ship and hampering rescue efforts, the Houthi terrorists have kidnapped many surviving crew members of the Eternity C,' said the mission, which operates out of a temporary base in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. 'We call for their immediate and unconditional safe release,' it added in a post on X. Operation Aspides - the EU naval task force in the Red Sea - told AFP that five Filipinos and one Indian had been rescued, while 19 others were still missing. The UN envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, expressed 'grave concern' over attacks that resulted in 'civilian loss of life and casualties as well as the potential for environmental damage'. 'Yemen must not be drawn deeper into regional crises that threaten to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country,' he said. Ansarullah Media Centre/AFP On Tuesday, Aspides said three people were killed in the attack on the Eternity C and at least two wounded - including a Russian electrician who lost a leg. Saree warned 'all companies dealing with the ports of occupied Palestine (Israel) that their ships and crews will be targeted' until Israel has been forced to 'lift the siege on our brothers in Gaza, cease the aggression against them and end the ongoing war'. The Houthis began their attacks on Red Sea shipping in late 2023, saying they were in support of Palestinians in Gaza. On Monday, they said they hit the Magic Seas because its owner had done business with Israel and used its ports. The rebels released a video showing masked gunmen storming the Magic Seas and simultaneous explosions that scuttled the bulk carrier. Both ships had likely been attacked 'due to prior Israeli port calls or ownership/ship manager affiliations', according to the Joint Maritime Information Centre, run by Western navies. Mohammed Huwais/AFP Houthi attacks have prompted many shipping firms to make the time-consuming detour around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Red Sea, which normally carries about 12% of global trade. The Houthis had threatened to renew their attacks after the Gaza ceasefire collapsed in March, prompting a deadly US bombing campaign against the rebels that ended with the May ceasefire. However, the rebels said they would continue to target 'Israeli ships'. In a statement on Tuesday, the US embassy blamed the Houthis for the Eternity C attack, calling it 'the most violent' yet. Israel, which has also come under direct missile and drone attack by the Houthis, has carried out multiple strikes on rebel targets in Yemen, most recently on Sunday.
