Houthi rebels celebrate sinking ship laden with explosive materials in Red Sea

Houthi militants hold their AK47s in the air and shout ‘Allahu Akhbar, death to America’ after storming a merchant ship laden with explosive materials in the Red Sea.

In a Hollywood-style trailer released by the terror group’s media centre, the militants fire rockets at the Liberian-flagged Magic Seas from small boats.

After launching rocket propelled grenades at the vessel carrying 17,000 metric tons of ‘highly hazardous’ ammonium nitrate, the Houthi rebels hijack the huge red trawler.

In intercepted radio transmissions, the captain of the Magic Seas tells the Houthis ‘not to impede his safe passage’.

But they demand him to ‘stop the ship immediately for the safety of your crew’.

The captain ignores them and makes a desperate mayday call saying he is being attacked by Houthis.

Shortly after the crew abandon the Greek-owned bulk carrier and ditch into the sea where they are safely rescued by a passing UAE freighter.

The fighters pull themselves aboard and sprint past the broken windows of the bridge.

They calmly walk to the observation deck where they hold their rifles aloft and launch into a vile tirade against Israel and the United States in shocking drone footage.

Moments later, drone footage shows them blow up the ship which sinks in the major global shipping route.

Moammar Al-Eryani, serving as the Minister of Information for Yemen, said on X: ‘The tanker was carrying approximately 17,000 metric tons of highly hazardous ammonium nitrate, resulting in its sinking and threatening the marine environment and international shipping lanes.

‘A message to the international community: This is the militia we have repeatedly warned against, and this is the terrorism you have long ignored.

‘Inaction towards these terrorist acts threatens to close Bab al-Mandab Strait, disrupting energy security and global trade, all at the behest of the Iranian regime. If this Houthi cancer is not eradicated now, the world will pay a heavy and costly price.’

The video was released after another attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on a Greek-owned Eternity C cargo ship killed three mariners and wounded two others on Tuesday.

The two attacks are the first Houthi assaults on shipping since late 2024 on the waterway that had begun to see more ships pass through in recent weeks.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have disrupted commerce by launching hundreds of drones and missiles at vessels in the Red Sea, saying they were targeting ships linked to Israel.

While the Houthis reached a ceasefire with the United States in May, the militia has reiterated that they will keep attacking ships it says are connected with Israel.

“After several months of calm, the resumption of deplorable attacks in the Red Sea constitutes a renewed violation of international law and freedom of navigation,” IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said on Tuesday.

“Innocent seafarers and local populations are the main victims of these attacks and the pollution they cause.”