Feature image: © BBC
A series of consecutive attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea over the past week has coincided with Israeli airstrikes on several key ports in Yemen.
The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C suffered a coordinated assault whilst voyaging the Red Sea involving drones, speedboats, and small arms fire roughly 50 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s Hodeidah.
Two crew members were seriously injured, while two others are still missing. The Eternity C was left adrift after its bridge was hit, disabling its engines and knocking out communications.
Around the same time as the vessel attacks, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out coordinated airstrikes, part of Operation Black Flag, targeting the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Isa, and Saleef, reported the BBC.
Satellite images and field reports indicate extensive damage to critical port infrastructure, yet no casualties have been reported. At Saleef, the local power station, which is essential for operating grain silos and flour mills, was reportedly destroyed, severely disrupting bulk cargo handling.
Two Barbados-flagged bulk carriers may have sustained collateral damage from nearby blasts, though no crew injuries have been reported. Among the targets was the Galaxy Leader, a car carrier seized by Houthi forces in November 2023, reported the BBC.
READ: RSGT secures multi-purpose operations at four Red Sea ports
The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, has issued a statement following the recent escalation of violence in the Red Sea region:
“After several months of calm, the resumption of deplorable attacks in the Red Sea constitutes a renewed violation of international law and freedom of navigation.
“Innocent seafarers and local populations are the main victims of these attacks and the pollution they cause. Constructive dialogue is the solution to resolving ongoing geopolitical crises affecting seafarers and international shipping.”
