Houthis sink bulk carrier in Red Sea, crew rescued

In the Red Sea off the southwestern coast of Yemen, Houthis attacked the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas. The ship sank, but the crew managed to escape. This was reported by Reuters.

The attack was the first such incident in the Red Sea since mid-April.

According to the British company Ambrey, which specializes in maritime security issues, the cargo ship was initially fired upon with cannons mounted on eight small boats.

The armed security of the bulk carrier returned fire, but the ship was attacked by four sea drones.

After the collision, a fire broke out, and the Magic Seas subsequently sank. The crew managed to abandon ship.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack on the bulk carrier.

Since November 2023, Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on shipping, claiming they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians over Israel's war with Hamas.

During this period, the group sank two ships, seized another, and killed at least four sailors, forcing companies to change routes, which prompted the United States to intensify attacks on the group.

In May, Trump announced that the U.S. would stop bombing the Houthis in Yemen, stating that the group had agreed to cease attacks on important shipping lanes in the Middle East.

• In June, Yemeni Houthis launched a missile attack on Israel – it fell in the southern West Bank of Jordan, where Palestinians mainly live.