Escalating Red Sea Tensions: Vessels Under Attack

Tensions in the Red Sea have escalated as two crew members of a Greek-managed vessel were wounded, and two others went missing following a drone attack off Yemen. The assault, occurring 50 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, is the second targeting merchant vessels since November 2024, involving sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades.

This follows another claim by Iran-aligned Houthi militants, who earlier targeted the Greek-operated MV Magic Seas. Crew members were forced to abandon the ship due to flooding. These attacks reflect increasing risks for vessels calling at Israeli ports, particularly in a backdrop of Israel's recent conflicts with Houthi targets in response to ongoing tensions in Gaza.

The attacks raise the stakes for commercial operators managing ships in these regions, as maritime security firms emphasize the growing threat. Despite Magic Seas carrying non-Israeli goods, analysis showed its operators had ties to Israeli ports, elevating its risk profile, underscoring the fragile security situation affecting maritime activities.