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Troops killed, ship attacked
Houthi fighters killed 16 government troops in an attack on government-aligned forces south of Hodeidah, and a separate cargo-ship incident unfolded near the same Red Sea port city, according to CBS News.
“British military says cargo ship attacked in Red Sea off coast of Yemen A skiff approached the ship and opened fire, then sailed back to a larger ship”
CBS News said the British military reported a cargo ship came under attack Sunday off Yemen in the Red Sea, with the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center receiving a distress alert that the vessel was "under attack by unknown armed assailants" 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeida.
In the fighting south of Hodeidah, two medical officials told AFP that hospitals in the area received 16 dead and 22 wounded pro-government forces, and an officer with the government-aligned forces called it the "deadliest Houthi attack in years."
CBS News reported that the clashes began late on Friday and ended at dawn on Saturday after a counterattack to retake pro-government positions, while it said the rebels attacked with snipers before launching drone and mortar salvos.
For the maritime incident, CBS News said a skiff approached the bulk carrier, opened fire, forced security guards to return fire, and then sailed back to a larger ship about 2 nautical miles away with its automatic identification system switched off, while the cargo ship and crew were reported safe and authorities investigated.
Targets named, attacks continue
A Saudi-led coalition named four strike targets on July 4—Hodeidah port, Ras Isa oil terminal, As-Salif port, and Sanaa International Airport—and promised “unprecedented determination and force” against threats to the Kingdom, according to the West Asian outlet that published the coalition’s declaration.
In the five days after that July 4 naming, the same source said the Houthis sunk two commercial vessels, killed at least three seafarers, detained six crew members as hostages, and published a propaganda video of captives begging shipping companies to stop trading with Israel.
The West Asian outlet described the July 6 attack on the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier Magic Seas as being swarmed southwest of Hodeidah by eight high-speed skiffs firing at least twenty RPG rounds, followed by three anti-ship missiles and a boarding that planted explosives and detonated them.
The source also quoted a hostage-video message directed at shipping companies: “Please stop your trading or any transaction to Israel because Red Sea is safe, but if you have any transaction or trading to Israel you will get in a problem.”
Separately, ABC News said the British military reported that a skiff approached the ship and opened fire, then sailed back to a larger ship about 2 nautical miles away with its automatic identification system switched off, while the cargo ship and crew were reported safe and authorities were investigating.
Hostages, blockade fears
After the Houthi attack on the cargo ship Eternity C, the U.S. Embassy in Yemen announced that the ship’s surviving crew had been abducted and Washington called for their immediate and unconditional release, according to TRT فارسی.
TRT فارسی reported the embassy statement on X said: "The Houthis not only targeted the ship and sank it, but also disrupted rescue efforts and ultimately took the remaining crew hostage."
The same TRT فارسی report said Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree released a video claiming that the ship, on its way to the port of Eilat in the occupied territories, was attacked with a suicide drone and six cruise missiles and ballistic missiles and was completely sunk.
Separately, صحيفة الخليج reported that the Houthis announced a full and complete blockade of Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, quoting the group’s statement: 'We announce a complete and total blockade of maritime navigation by Israel in the Red Sea.'
That outlet also linked the blockade announcement to fears of renewed disruptions to the corridor, saying the Houthis’ attacks on ships have led to higher shipping and marine insurance costs and longer voyage times due to ships sailing around the Cape of Good Hope.
