In brief
The Houthi militia has taken crew members hostage from the cargo ship Eternity after an attack in the Red Sea, sparking international concern and calls for their release.
Yemen’s Houthi militia has intensified tensions in the Red Sea by attacking a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, the Eternity, and taking several crew members hostage. U.S. officials reported the incident, which resulted in the deaths of at least two crew members. The Houthis claimed their military operation was justified because the ship was allegedly heading to an Israeli port, a claim that remains unverified. Following the attack, Houthi representatives stated that they provided medical care to some rescued crew but withheld details about the number of hostages or their release timeline. This incident echoes a previous hostage situation involving the crew of another ship, Galaxy Leader, held by the Houthis for over a year. The international community, including the U.S. Embassy, has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages, raising alarms over the safety of maritime operations in the region.
