UN envoy warns of worsening Red Sea tension after Houthi attacks off Yemen's coast

The UN's Yemen envoy has expressed serious concern over the situation in the Red Sea, and warned of potential environmental damage after two Houthi attacks on commercial vessels.

The incidents mark the first such attacks since Washington announced a truce with the Iran-backed rebel group in May. The Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, have previously attacked shipping lanes, but the latest strikes raise fears of renewed instability in the strategic waterway.

Hans Grundberg, the special envoy for Yemen, told the Security Council on Wednesday that freedom of navigation in the Red Sea must be protected, and civilian infrastructure must never become a target in conflict.

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This week's attacks on shipping, both of which were claimed by the Houthis, were the first for seven months, Mr Grundberg said.

“Above all, Yemen must not be drawn deeper into regional crises that threaten to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country. The stakes for Yemen are simply too high,” he added.

The first attack sank the Magic Seas cargo ship, although its crew was rescued by a UAE team.

The second attack began on Monday against the MV Eternity C, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, and left at least three crew members dead. The Houthis claimed responsibility for it on Wednesday.

The EU naval mission in the Red Sea said the attacked ship's crew consisted of 22 sailors – 21 Filipinos and one Russian – along with a three-member security team. Five Filipinos and one Indian were rescued, the mission stated.

The nationalities of the three people killed during the hours-long assault remain unknown.

The US embassy in Yemen has accused the Houthis of kidnapping sailors from the cargo ship.

"After killing their shipmates, sinking their ship and hampering rescue efforts, the Houthi terrorists have kidnapped many surviving crew members from the Eternity C," the US umbassy in Yemen posted on X. "We call for their safe release."

From November 2023 through December 2024, the Houthis launched missile and drone attacks on more than 100 commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The Iran-backed group claimed the strikes were in solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The Iran-backed rebels halted their attacks during a temporary ceasefire but later faced an intense US-led air strike campaign under President Donald Trump.

US acting ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, accused Iran of enabling the Houthis to “attack Israel, threaten and blackmail our partners in the Gulf, and to play a role in Iran’s terror networks across the wider Middle East region”.

Ms Shea called on the 15-member Security Council to not tolerate Iran’s violations.