The Houthi attacks on the two commercial cargo vessels in the Red Sea between July 6 and 9, 2025, constitute violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes, according to Human Rights Watch.
The Houthis, sunk both ships, killing and injuring several crew members and appear to be unlawfully detaining six rescued crew members. According to Human Rights Watch, there has been no evidence that the ships were military targets under relevant laws of armed conflict. In addition, neither ship bore any connection to Israel nor was heading there. In fact, one had recently delivered humanitarian aid to Somalia.
The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians. The Houthis should end all attacks on ships not taking part in the conflict and immediately release the crew members in their custody.
The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians. The Houthis should end all attacks on ships not taking part in the conflict and immediately release the crew members in their custody.
…said Niku Jafarnia, Yemen and Bahrain researcher, Human Rights Watch.
On July 6, Houthi forces attacked the MV Magic Seas near Hodeidah, the crew was rescued and the ship sank the next day. On July 7, they attacked the MV Eternity C with grenades, naval drones, and missiles, and it sank on July 9. The Eternity C had 25 crew members; 10 were rescued, 4 may have been killed and 11 went missing. Six of the missing are believed to be held by the Houthis. While the Houthis claim to have rescued and cared for some crew, they are likely being unlawfully detained.
The Houthis have stated that the attacked ships and their operating company violated the Houthi ban on dealings with Israeli ports and refused calls to stop. However, according to the NGO’s statement, the Magic Seas was en route to Turkey from China and was carrying fertilizer and steel billets, while the Eternity C was en route to Saudi Arabia from Somalia after delivering humanitarian aid for the United Nations World Food Programme.
The Houthis did not meet the international law requirements for a lawful naval blockade, Human Rights Watch points out.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have attacked dozens of merchant ships in the Red Sea, actions Human Rights Watch previously found to constitute war crimes. The Houthis previously detained 25 crew members of the Galaxy Leader, a British-linked and Japanese-operated vehicle carrier registered in the Bahamas, and seized the ship. They held the crew for 14 months and continue to hold the ship.
The 1994 San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea, which is widely viewed as reflecting customary laws of war, strictly limits attacks to military objectives. Merchant vessels are civilian objects not subject to attack unless engaged in belligerent military acts for the enemy, carrying troops or military materials, or presenting an immediate threat to the attacking vessel. All vessels engaged in humanitarian missions are exempt from attack.
Houthi forces responsible for these two attacks violated the laws of war applicable to the armed conflict between the Houthis and Israel.
They deliberately attacked commercial vessels that could clearly be identified as civilian, were not engaged in belligerent activities, and posed no military threat to Houthi forces.
Houthi forces responsible for these two attacks violated the laws of war applicable to the armed conflict between the Houthis and Israel. They deliberately attacked commercial vessels that could clearly be identified as civilian, were not engaged in belligerent activities, and posed no military threat to Houthi forces.
…the statement highlights.
Detaining rescued crew members is also prohibited. Commanders who willfully order or carry out these unlawful attacks, mistreat detainees, or are liable as a matter of command responsibility, are responsible for war crimes.
In addition, the attacks pose long-term environmental threats to the region, Human Rights Watch said. Wim Zwijnenburg, an analyst at PAX, a Dutch nongovernmental organization, said that satellite imagery shows large oil slicks trailing from the areas where both vessels sank.
He said the oil slicks are threatening wildlife in Bera’Isole, a protected nature reserve on Eritrea’s coast and host to a fishing community. He added that as of July 22, PAX had “seen oil slicks washing ashore near the small fishing community of Idi” as well.
Dr. Abdulqader Alkharraz, a former Yemeni government environmental specialist, said that Yemen was still suffering from the environmental, livelihood and health risks of previous Houthi attacks such as the sinking of the MV Rubymar, a Belize-flagged bulk carrier sunk on March 2, 2024. The ship was carrying 21,000 tons of hazardous chemical fertilizers, resulting in large loss of marine life.
It will be difficult to contain this crisis now, especially due to the nature of the fertilizers that Magic Seas carried, which dissolve quickly and are hard to track.
It will be difficult to contain this crisis now, especially due to the nature of the fertilizers that Magic Seas carried, which dissolve quickly and are hard to track.
…said Dr. Alkharraz, pointing out that the response required to mitigate contamination from the ship was extremely costly for a developing country like Yemen.
Customary international humanitarian law provides that warring parties need to respect the protection and preservation of the natural environment. All feasible steps should be taken to minimize environmental harm. Using methods or means of warfare that are intended or can be expected to cause widespread, long-term, and severe damage to the natural environment is prohibited.
It is critical for concerned governments to recognize war crimes, regardless of which party is responsible. Governments urgently need to address the humanitarian impact of the abuses and quickly clean up the oil and chemical spills resulting from the sunken ships to mitigate environmental disaster.
It is critical for concerned governments to recognize war crimes, regardless of which party is responsible. Governments urgently need to address the humanitarian impact of the abuses and quickly clean up the oil and chemical spills resulting from the sunken ships to mitigate environmental disaster.
…said Niku Jafarnia.
