One crew member tragically lost their life after an attack by the Houthis on a Dutch cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden. This attack is part of a larger uptick in Houthi operations targeting international interests, alongside reports of UN officials being detained in Yemen.
According to the Philippine Ministry of Immigrants and Workers, the deceased was a Filipino national aboard the Minervagracht, which is run by Spleethof, a company based in Amsterdam. The ship was navigating international waters when it was hit by explosives, leading to a fire that forced 19 crew members from various nationalities, including Russian, Ukrainian, and Sri Lankan, to evacuate. Thankfully, they were later rescued by helicopter and taken to safety, as per company statements.
The Houthis, backed by Iran, asserted responsibility for the attack, claiming the ship had breached a blockade on entering the Palestinian port. Their repeated assaults on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are framed as solidarity with Palestinians amidst ongoing conflict with Israel in Gaza.
This incident marked the first significant attack on the Gulf of Aden since July 2024, a critical passage linking the Red Sea and Arabian Sea. In fact, this incident is the first time the Houthis have targeted merchant ships since they struck an Israeli-owned tanker, Scarlet Ray, on September 1 near the Saudi port city of Yanbu.
Additionally, the UN reported that 10 of its staff members, all Yemeni, have recently been detained in areas under Houthi control. These individuals were working to provide humanitarian assistance in Yemen, one of the world’s poorest and most conflict-ridden nations. Over the years, the Houthis have detained a total of 54 humanitarian workers since 2021, often accusing them of involvement in a so-called “spy network,” a claim that the UN and various human rights organizations refute.
Amid these developments, it’s worth noting that Israel has confirmed conducting attacks on Houthi positions in Yemen, marking the second such action this week.
This wave of detention coincides with the ongoing tenth anniversary of the Yemeni civil war, which has deeply fragmented the nation, leaving around two-thirds of its population in need of humanitarian aid. This persistent conflict complicates efforts to deliver essential assistance.
The recent attack followed a ceasefire agreement between the US government and the Houthis in May, though uncertainty lingers regarding the continuation of that ceasefire. When then-President Donald Trump announced it, the Houthis claimed they would refrain from attacking vessels henceforth.
Earlier in July, the Houthis had already targeted the Greek-owned merchant ship, Magic Seas, along with a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier named Eternity C.
The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency has remarked that Houthi actions had drastically cut down global container transport through the Red Sea by an eye-popping 90% during a span from December 2023 to February 2024. While it’s noted that they haven’t breached the ceasefire conditions concerning attacks on U.S. vessels, they have ignored stipulations around the unimpeded flow of international merchant ships.
