The group, which is linked to Iran, has launched numerous attacks on ships in the Red Sea since 2023, targeting vessels it believes are linked to Israel, in what it describes as solidarity with the Palestinians for Israel’s war in Gaza.
“The Houthis have long been a serious threat to the freedom of navigation,” the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in an announcement.
Countries such as the United States, Israel, Canada, and Australia have designated the Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, as a terrorist organization.
A potential EU decision to add the group to its terrorist list – which currently includes 13 individuals and 22 groups or entities – would entail financial sanctions and the freezing of funds and assets.
The Monday attack on the Minervagracht injured two sailors and forced the helicopter evacuation of the 19-member crew, according to the EU naval mission Aspides and the vessel’s operator.
The Houthi military spokesman stated that the attack was carried out with a cruise missile.
The operator Spliethoff, based in Amsterdam, stated that the Minervagracht was in international waters in the Gulf of Aden when it was hit, sustaining significant damage and a fire.
The Houthis stated they attacked the Minervagracht because its owner violated the “ban on entry to the ports of occupied Palestine.”
It was the first Houthi attack on a commercial ship since September 1, when they targeted the Israeli tanker Scarlet Ray near the Saudi Arabian port of Yanbu in the Red Sea.
In July, the Houthis attacked and sank the bulk carrier Magic Seas and the cargo ship Eternity C in the Red Sea.
The last major Houthi attack in the Gulf of Aden was on the Singapore-flagged container ship Lobivia in July 2024.
Source: Reuters
