Recently, the security situation in the Red Sea region has deteriorated significantly, with merchant ships frequently becoming targets of attacks and several ports in the region continuing to be subjected to airstrikes, posing a serious challenge to the security of international maritime transportation...
On the evening of July 8 local time, the leadership of the Yemeni armed groups issued a statement emphasizing that their maritime operations were directed only against Israel and its allies, indicating that they would not launch attacks against unaffiliated vessels.
However, just the day before, the organization's military spokesperson had declared that they had used two unmanned speedboats, five missiles and three drones to strike a merchant vessel, the Magic Seas, which had allegedly violated its ban on navigation, and had successfully hit the target.
Subsequently, on 8 July, the armed group released video footage of the sinking of the Greek bulk carrier. The video shows the Magic Seas sinking in the Red Sea after being attacked on 6 July.
According to reliable sources, the attacked cargo ship was scheduled to depart from Zhuhai, China, destined for Turkey with a cargo of iron ore and fertilizer. The ship set sail on June 11, and while sailing in the Red Sea waters west of Yemen, it came under heavy attack for four hours with a variety of weapons, including speedboat fire, rocket-propelled grenades, maritime drones and missiles.
Publicly available video footage shows that the armed men first sent warning signals to the ship and then carried out a boarding operation after the crew had withdrawn. Eventually, a pre-installed explosive device on the hull of the ship was detonated, causing a huge splash and the ship to sink to the bottom of the sea.
"The sinking of the Magic Seas is the third merchant vessel to sink in the region since November 2023 and marks the first time since December 2024 that a merchant vessel has been sunk in the Red Sea region. More worryingly, on July 8 local time, Yemeni sources reported that another Liberian-flagged cargo ship, the Eternity C, operated by a Greek company, was also attacked on the evening of July 7, killing three crew members and injuring two others. This was the first time since June 2024 that an attack on a merchant vessel in the region had resulted in fatalities.
It is worth noting that prior to this month, the armed groups in question had suspended attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and reached a ceasefire agreement with the United States in May. However, the resumption of attacks this month has cast a shadow over the prospects for that agreement. With increased attacks, rising casualties and damage to major port facilities, Red Sea shipping is experiencing its most volatile period so far this year, posing a serious threat to global maritime security and supply chain stability.
Author: Kim
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