US condemns Houthi attacks on cargo ships in Red Sea

The United States has condemned a pair of recent Houthi rebel attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, warning that the escalation by the Iran-backed militants in Yemen risks jeopardizing freedom of navigation and “maritime security.” 

“The United States condemns the unprovoked Houthi terror attack on the civilian cargo vessels MV Magic Seas and MV Eternity C in the Red Sea, which resulted in the tragic loss of three mariners, with many others injured and the complete loss of the MV Magic Seas and its cargo,” State Department spokespersson Tammy Bruce said in a statement on Tuesday. 

“These attacks demonstrate the ongoing threat that Iran-backed Houthi rebels pose to freedom of navigation and to regional economic and maritime security,” Bruce added. 

Houthi rebels attacked a Greek-owned Eternity C bulk carrier on Monday, according to authorities. A search and rescue operation took place overnight, rescuing five crew members as the search continues for others, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center, operated by the British military, said in an advisory notice on Monday. The vessel was going toward the Suez Canal. 

UKMTO said that the ship sustained “significant damage and has lost all propulsion," adding it was attacked by “multiple rocket propelled grenades from small craft.” 

On Sunday, the Liberian-flagged Magic Seas ship came under fire from the Houthis, with the crew abandoning the vessel, which ended up sinking in the Red Sea. 

The attacks come roughly five months after the U.S. military began striking the Houthi rebels in Yemen over the group’s attacks on vessels passing through the Red Sea. 

“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, which must be condemned by all members of the international community,” Bruce said.