A Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned cargo ship, the Eternity C, has been sunk in the Red Sea following a sustained attack by Houthi militants. The assault, which commenced on Monday, culminated in the vessel’s sinking on Wednesday. The incident has resulted in significant loss of life and a number of crew members unaccounted for.
Attack Details and Casualties
The attack targeted the Eternity C, a merchant vessel navigating the critical Red Sea waterway. Out of a total crew of 25, at least four members were tragically killed during the assault. While six crew members were successfully rescued – comprising five Filipinos and one Indian national – between 15 to 19 crew members remain missing, according to reports. Rescue efforts are ongoing amidst the volatile security situation in the region.
Houthi Justification and Allegations
The Houthis swiftly claimed responsibility for the attack. They asserted that the Eternity C was targeted specifically because it was heading towards Israel. The militant group stated that the action was carried out in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, linking their maritime attacks to the ongoing conflict there.
Adding another layer to the incident, the U.S. Mission in Yemen issued a strong condemnation of the Houthis. The mission accused the group of kidnapping many of the surviving crew members following the attack. They issued a firm demand for the immediate and unconditional release of any crew members being held captive, raising grave concerns about their welfare.
Broader Context in Red Sea
This sinking marks a concerning escalation and is the second merchant vessel confirmed to have been sunk by the Iran-backed group within a week. The Houthis have been conducting a campaign of drone and missile attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since November, citing solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza. These attacks have severely disrupted international shipping, forcing many companies to reroute vessels around Southern Africa, leading to increased costs and delays.
Naval forces from several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have deployed to the region to defend shipping and conduct strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Despite these efforts, the Houthis have vowed to continue their attacks, particularly against vessels they perceive as having links to Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom.
Related Sanctions on Funding Networks
In a separate but related development highlighting international efforts to pressure groups like the Houthis and their sponsors, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against 22 entities. These entities are based across Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and Türkiye.
The sanctions were imposed for the entities’ alleged roles in facilitating the sale of Iranian oil. According to OFAC, the revenue generated from these sales directly benefits the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), a powerful branch of Iran’s military structure responsible for foreign operations and supporting allied groups. The Treasury Department described the mechanism used as a “shadow banking” system, designed to obscure the financial transactions and circumvent international sanctions on Iran’s oil exports and its proxies. This action underscores ongoing attempts by the U.S. to dismantle financial networks supporting destabilizing activities in the Middle East, including those funding groups operating in the Red Sea.
