In early July, Iranian-backed Houthi rebels carried out a series of brazen attacks on Greek commercial vessels, resulting in casualties and the sinking of two ships.
Houthi attacks have sunk two Greek ships in the Red Sea. The first victim was the bulk carrier Magic Seas, which was attacked and sunk on July 6. The following day, a similar fate befell the bulk carrier MV Eternity C, which managed to stay afloat until Wednesday, July 9. Both ships were attacked using naval drones and speedboats off the coast of Yemen.
Greek Reporter writes about this.
Eternity C sinking
The Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Eternity C, operated by Greek company Cosmoship and en route from China to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was targeted by naval drones and Houthi boats on July 7 off the coast of Hodeida. Rebels on board speedboats launched an attack using rocket launchers and two drones, which hit the vessel and exploded. The missiles hit the bridge and engine room, leaving the vessel “blind” and uncontrollable. Contact with the vessel was lost after the attack.
The ship's armed guards were reportedly trapped in the wreckage on the bridge while trying to repel the Houthis who were circling the damaged ship in their boats. Although immediate orders were given to abandon ship, the situation made this impossible.
According to the publication, citing Greek government officials, the crew consisted of 22 Filipinos and three Indian armed guards. But DW reported that there was one Russian among the crew members.
As of July 9, at least five sailors had been rescued, while several crew members were still in the water in life jackets, their exact number is still unknown.
According to journalists, at least four crew members died as a result of the attack and sinking of the vessel.
Attack on Magic Seas
Hours before the attack on Eternity C, the Houthis claimed responsibility for an attack on the Greek, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas on July 6 in the Red Sea off the southwest coast of Yemen.
Houthi spokesman Yahya Sari said the ship was attacked for “violating the ban on entering ports in occupied Palestine.”
According to media reports, the Magic Seas was attacked by drones, missiles and rocket-propelled grenades, forcing the crew to abandon ship. The bulk carrier subsequently sank. The crew was rescued by a passing vessel a few hours later and taken to Djibouti.
gCaptain reported that Yemen's Houthis even released a video of the Magic Seas sinking after their attack. The ship was carrying iron and fertilizer from China to Turkey when it came under attack for four hours.
Escalation of the conflict
The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, Arsenio Dominguez, said that “after months of silence, the resumption of egregious attacks in the Red Sea is a new violation of international law and freedom of navigation.”
This is the first fatality in shipping in the Red Sea since June 2024.
The incidents came just months after a ceasefire agreement between the US and the Houthis in May 2025, although Israel was not part of the deal. The Houthis have said they will continue to attack ships they believe are linked to Israel.
Maritime traffic through the Red Sea has dropped by around 50% compared to normal levels since the Houthi campaign began in late 2023. Vessels transiting the southern Red Sea are advised to exercise extreme caution and shipping companies are urged to register with the Indian Ocean Maritime Security Centre's Voluntary Registration Scheme.
The two attacks highlight the high risk to shipping in the Red Sea region and vital shipping lanes around Yemen. The area remains a hotbed of geopolitical instability and armed group activity, and the incident is a stark reminder of the ongoing threats to commercial shipping.
Let us recall that, according to journalists, Russia is helping the Houthis to strike ships in the Red Sea. The Kremlin regime is transmitting coordinates to terrorists to attack civilian ships.
