The full resumption of safe navigation in the Red Sea, and consequently through the Suez Canal, still appears distant. In fact, tensions around the Bab al-Mandab Strait have escalated since early July following the sinking of two cargo ships, Magic Seas and Eternity C, hit respectively on 6 and 7 July. While all crew members were rescued in the first incident, at least four people died and six others were taken hostage in the second.
These attacks marked a turning point from the relative calm that had followed a truce between the Yemenis and the United States. Israeli airstrikes on Houthi infrastructure have not helped de-escalate the situation; on the contrary, they appear to have exacerbated it. The sinking of the two ships served as a prelude to the fourth phase of attacks, announced on television on 27 July 2025 by Yemeni military spokesperson Yahya Saree. He stated that the Houthis would target “all ships belonging to any company that maintains relations with the ports of the Israeli enemy, regardless of the nationality of that company and wherever our armed forces can reach them”.
The announcement specified that vessels would be attacked regardless of their destination, thereby broadening the scope compared to previous declarations, which had mainly focused on ships directly linked to Israel. The group urged “all companies to immediately cease any dealings with Israeli ports from the moment this statement is issued”.
The Houthis also called on “all countries, if they wish to avoid this escalation, to put pressure on the enemy to end its aggression and lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip”. Concern is growing over the increasing sophistication of the attacks, which now involve more than just ballistic missiles or aerial drones. They are carried out with a combination of unmanned surface drones, anti-ship missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, and fast manned boats.
Analysts have identified distinct phases in the Houthi strategy. The first began in October 2023, focusing on missile attacks against Israel and ships directly connected to the country through ownership or port calls. A pivotal moment came with the seizure of the Galaxy Leader in November 2023, which marked the start of systematic attacks on cargo vessels. The crew was taken hostage and recently released following an agreement with the United States, while the ship itself was struck by Israeli airstrikes on the grounds that it served as a command and observation centre for Yemeni operations.
The second phase saw the conflict escalate with the direct military involvement of the United States and the United Kingdom in January 2024, when both countries launched airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Despite the bombings, the Yemenis continued to intensify their operations, gradually expanding the range of targets. The third phase was marked by diplomatic developments, including a pause in attacks during the Gaza ceasefire in January 2025, followed by a resurgence in hostilities after the collapse of the agreement in March 2025. A significant moment came with the ceasefire agreement between the United States and the Houthis in May 2025, mediated by Oman, which ended American airstrikes in exchange for the cessation of Houthi attacks on US ships.
