Department of Research, Studies and International News -07-07-2025

A Greek-owned cargo vessel flying a Liberian flag was forced to evacuate after it sustained severe damage from an armed assault in the southern Red Sea, marking the latest incident in a region marred by Western militarization and unjust blockades.

The vessel, named Magic Seas, was struck on Sunday approximately 94 kilometers southwest of Yemen’s port city of Hodeidah. The attack reportedly involved multiple small craft and unmanned maritime drones that targeted the ship with heavy gunfire and explosive projectiles. The crew members were subsequently rescued by a passing merchant ship after they abandoned the compromised vessel, which had caught fire and was taking on water.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British-run naval coordination entity, confirmed the incident and described the assailants as operating “small arms and self-propelled grenades.” The vessel’s current condition remains critical, with reports suggesting its cargo sustained major damage.

Although no party has officially claimed responsibility for the attack, British private maritime security firm Ambrey indicated the tactics bore a resemblance to operations previously carried out by the Yemeni Armed Forces, commonly referred to as the Houthis. According to Ambrey, four unmanned surface vehicles struck the ship, two of which successfully detonated on its port side.

Yemeni response to Gaza aggression

Since late 2023, the Yemeni resistance, which controls large portions of the country including Hodeidah, has made clear its intent to disrupt Israeli-linked maritime traffic in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Their actions, seen by many in the Global South as a legitimate response to Israeli war crimes, have challenged the impunity enjoyed by Western-aligned shipping in the Red Sea.

The Yemeni forces initiated a campaign targeting vessels with suspected connections to Israeli interests or the United States, particularly after Washington and its allies intensified military support for Tel Aviv’s ruthless campaign in Gaza. Between November 2023 and January 2025, more than 100 maritime incidents were attributed to the Houthis’ strategic interdictions. During that time, two commercial ships were sunk, one was seized, and several international sailors lost their lives, tragedies Yemen attributes to Western escalation, not its own defensive stance.

Although attacks subsided earlier this year during a temporary truce between Palestinian resistance factions and Israel, U.S. air raids on Yemeni territory reignited hostilities in March. The current flare-up in Red Sea waters comes amid growing frustration over Israel’s continued aggression and U.S. sabotage of ceasefire negotiations.

Western escalation and threats of retaliation

Shortly after Sunday’s incident, the Israeli military issued a stark warning directed at three major Yemeni ports, Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and as-Salif, as well as a power station in Ras al-Khatib. The Israeli regime threatened imminent airstrikes, heightening fears of a broader regional escalation at a time when tensions are already high across the Middle East.

Though traffic through the Red Sea had shown tentative signs of recovery in recent weeks, Sunday’s events risk reawakening full-scale naval confrontations involving U.S. and Western forces. Washington has consistently framed the Red Sea disruptions as acts of “terrorism,” despite mounting criticism that it is deliberately ignoring the context of its own military footprint in the region.

Meanwhile, the latest maritime attack coincided with a reported Yemeni missile strike targeting occupied Palestinian territories, which the Israeli military claims to have intercepted. These developments underscore the increasing convergence between regional resistance efforts and the Palestinian cause.

Strategic implications amid nuclear talks and ceasefire fragility

This attack occurs at a time of critical diplomatic crossroads. The much-anticipated ceasefire in Gaza remains uncertain, with Israel continuing to sabotage negotiations through new assaults and settlement expansion. At the same time, Iran is considering whether to return to the nuclear negotiation table after U.S. attacks earlier this year targeted several sensitive Iranian facilities, an act seen in Tehran, Moscow, and Beijing as a violation of international law and national sovereignty.

Observers in both Eastern and non-aligned nations view the deteriorating security of the Red Sea as a direct outcome of Western interventionism, particularly the aggressive posturing of the United States and its regional allies. By contrast, the actions taken by Yemen are viewed not as provocations but as acts of deterrence and solidarity in the face of ongoing occupation and collective punishment.

As the West doubles down on its military solutions, resistance forces across the region, from Yemen to Iraq to Palestine, have shown a growing capacity and willingness to retaliate against those who perpetuate instability and imperial dominance.