After a period of relative calm, tensions in the Red Sea flared again on 31 August when the Houthis targeted the Scarlet Ray. The group’s military spokesman, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announced the attack in a pre-recorded message broadcast on al-Masirah TV. According to Houthi sources, the vessel was hit by a ballistic missile, but the UK Maritime Trade Operations (Ukmto) reported that the crew only observed a splash near the ship, likely caused by an unidentified projectile, and heard a loud detonation. All crew members were unharmed and the vessel continued its voyage.
The Scarlet Ray is a chemical and oil products tanker flying the Liberian flag, built in 2020. It is owned by Eastern Pacific Shipping, a Singapore-based company controlled by Israeli businessman Idan Ofer. The company confirmed in a statement that the ship was not damaged and remains under the command of its master, with the crew safe and sound. British maritime security firm Ambrey had previously flagged the vessel as a potential Houthi target due to its publicly known Israeli ownership.
The incident occurred about 40 nautical miles southwest of Yanbu, a Saudi Arabian port city on the Red Sea. Attacks in this particular area are relatively rare, as it has historically seen fewer maritime security incidents than other parts of the Red Sea. Regardless of its effectiveness, the operation underscores that maritime traffic in the Red Sea, and consequently through the Suez Canal, remains far from returning to normal, with little chance of improvement before year-end.
The Houthi strike is seen as their initial retaliation for an Israeli air raid carried out on 28 August that killed Ahmed al-Rahawi, the Houthis’ prime minister, along with several ministers in the Yemeni capital Sanaa. That Israeli strike represented the most significant political loss for the Iran-backed group since the start of its involvement in the conflict with Israel. The Yemeni spokesman reiterated that military operations would continue “until the aggression ends and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted.”
Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched attacks on more than one hundred vessels using missiles and drones, sinking four ships and killing at least eight seafarers. The campaign has forced many shipping companies to reroute their fleets around Africa instead of using the Suez Canal.
