Container ship at sunrise. Picture: Alamy
By Alice Brooker
By Alice Brooker
7 July 2025
LBC
A second merchant ship has been attacked by men launching five rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) from small boats in the Red Sea.
Two crew were injured and two others are missing in an attack on a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier on Monday.
The strike occurred 49 nautical miles southwest of Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeidah, the British maritime security firm Ambrey said on Monday.
Ambrey added the vessel’s engines had reportedly been disabled. It did not identify the ship.
It also said the vessel had been heading north toward the Suez Canal when it came under fire by men in small boats and by bomb-carrying drones.
The security guards on board had opened fire in response.
Map of Magic Seas merchant ship showing the location it was attacked. Picture: UKMTO
“The vessel’s engines had reportedly been disabled and Ambrey observed that the vessel had started to drift,” the firm said.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported the ambush, which saw five rocket-propelled grenades fired from small craft circling the ship.
The attack followed the alleged ‘sinking’ of Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas, which caught fire after being hit by sea drones on Sunday.
The crew abandoned the sinking merchant ship and were rescued by another passing vessel.
Earlier in the day, Iran-aligned Houthis claimed they attacked the ship carrying scrap with gunfire, rockets and explosive-laden remote-controlled boats.
“The vessel’s engines had reportedly been disabled and Ambrey observed that the vessel had started to drift,” the firm said.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported the ambush, which saw five rocket-propelled grenades fired from small craft circling the ship.
The attack followed the alleged ‘sinking’ of Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Magic Seas, which caught fire after being hit by sea drones on Sunday.
The crew abandoned the sinking merchant ship and were rescued by another passing vessel.
Earlier in the day, Iran-aligned Houthis claimed they attacked the ship carrying scrap with gunfire, rockets and explosive-laden remote-controlled boats.
The attacks have happened amid growing tensions in the Israel-Hamas war. Picture: Getty
They said it had sunk in their first known attack on the high seas this year.
The UKMTO said in a statement: "Vessels in the area should exercise extreme caution whilst transiting the southern Red Sea, as vessel remains abandoned and unlit."
The latest attack comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war.
The two attacks and a round of Israeli air strikes early on Monday targeting the rebels raised fears of a renewed Houthi campaign against shipping that could again draw in US and Western forces to the area, particularly after President Donald Trump’s administration targeted the rebels in a major air strike campaign.
They said it had sunk in their first known attack on the high seas this year.
The UKMTO said in a statement: "Vessels in the area should exercise extreme caution whilst transiting the southern Red Sea, as vessel remains abandoned and unlit."
The latest attack comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East over the Israel-Hamas war.
The two attacks and a round of Israeli air strikes early on Monday targeting the rebels raised fears of a renewed Houthi campaign against shipping that could again draw in US and Western forces to the area, particularly after President Donald Trump’s administration targeted the rebels in a major air strike campaign.
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