Tensions Escalate in the Red Sea: Houthis Assert Responsibility for M/V Magic Seas Incident and Attack on Galaxy Leader

According to a recent report from Reuters, Yemen’s Houthi militants have claimed they sank the Greek bulk carrier M/V Magic Seas. However, autonomous verification of this claim is still pending, and Stem Shipping, the company managing the vessel, has not confirmed its sinking. If true,this incident would represent the third ship lost to attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis as they began targeting merchant vessels in November 2023 as a show of support for Palestinians in Gaza.

The attack on July 6 was particularly noteworthy as it marked the first assault on a commercial ship in the southern Red Sea since December 2024. Maritime security experts at Ambrey noted that this incident involved multiple forms of aggression off Hodeidah, yemen—starting with small arms fire from skiffs and escalating to strikes from unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and missiles.

In another growth, Israel has reported conducting an airstrike against the Houthi-controlled car carrier M/V Galaxy Leader. This vessel has been under houthi control since late 2023. The Israeli Defense Forces shared footage purportedly showing their strike on this ship as part of broader military actions against Houthi positions following their attacks on Israel.Michael Bodouroglou from Stem Shipping described how shocking the situation was: “It struck us like lightning.” The Magic Seas was transporting iron and fertilizers from China to Turkey when it faced over four hours of relentless assault involving gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades alongside drone strikes. Thankfully, all 22 crew members were rescued by another passing merchant vessel thanks to coordination with EUNAVFOR ATALANTA and UK Maritime Trade Operations; Bodouroglou expressed relief that there were no injuries among them.

Houthi spokesperson Yahya Sare’e stated that their attack targeted what they deemed a violation of entry bans into ports considered occupied territories by Palestine. Although previous voyages had seen Magic Seas dock at Israeli ports before, Bodouroglou mentioned that this particular journey seemed low-risk because it had no direct ties to Israel.

With three commercial ships now sunk in thes waters as late 2023—the Belize-flagged MV Rubymar being one such casualty after being hit by an anti-ship missile earlier—this escalation poses serious concerns for maritime safety in the region.INTERCARGO Chairman John Xylas condemned these acts vehemently: “Seafarers are not targets… These are innocent people just doing their jobs.”

The UK Maritime Trade Operations center recently reported yet another incident involving an attack approximately 51 nautical miles west of Al Hudaydah where multiple rocket-propelled grenades were fired at a vessel from small craft; investigations are ongoing.

These events unfold just months after a ceasefire agreement between U.S.-Houthi factions was reached in May 2025 but notably excluded Israel—a factor contributing to ongoing tensions as evidenced by recent military actions targeting Houthi assets along Yemeni coasts.

Given these developments,vessels navigating through southern Red Sea waters should exercise heightened caution due to potential threats posed by unlit abandoned ships lingering nearby. Shipping companies are encouraged to register with maritime security initiatives like those offered through India’s Voluntary Registration Scheme for better monitoring capabilities amid rising risks associated with regional conflicts.