UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned new Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea after one vessel sank and four crew members died, according to a press release from the United Nations (UN). The Yemen-based group hit the Eternity C on Monday and Tuesday. The ship sank Wednesday morning. Fifteen crew members are still missing, but the Houthis reportedly took some sailors to what they called a “safe location.” Guterres called the attacks “unacceptable” and said they put crew members in danger. The Eternity C was a Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated cargo ship.
The Houthis have been attacking ships in the Red Sea since October 2023, when the Gaza war started. They say they’re helping Palestinians by hitting Israeli ships and other vessels they think are going to Israel. The group has been fighting Yemen’s government since the early 2010s and controls big parts of the country.
The weekend brought more violence. On Sunday, the Houthis fired missiles and drones at another cargo ship called Magic Seas. The 22 crew members had to abandon ship but were all rescued. These attacks happened even though the Houthis made a deal with the US in May to stop targeting American warships. But they never promised to stop hitting other ships.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric read Guterres’ statement at UN headquarters Friday. The Secretary-General said the attacks create serious risks for the environment, economy, and humanitarian work. He also said international law must be respected and that UN Security Council resolution 2768 about Houthi attacks on merchant ships must be followed.
The UN says it’s still working to calm tensions in the region and wants to keep talking with Yemeni, regional, and international groups to find a peaceful solution to Yemen’s conflict. But with shipping lanes under constant threat and crew members dying, pressure is building for stronger action to protect one of the world’s most important trade routes.
