By Faisal Abu Bakr | 2025-07-18

ADEN -- With the Houthis' recent sinking of two commercial vessels in the Red Sea comes the threat of toxic cargo spills that endanger marine ecosystems and renewed disruption to international shipping in the key waterway.

The Iran-backed group attacked the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Eternity C on July 7, using sea drones and rocket-propelled grenades, killing four sailors among its 22-member crew of 21 Filipinos and one Russian.

Maritime agencies ended their search for the remaining 15 missing crew members at the vessel owner's request, according to al-Arabiya.

In an attack carried out the previous day, the Houthis sank the Magic Sea, though all crew from that vessel were rescued.

The incident represents a dangerous escalation and constitutes a clear violation of freedom of navigation in the vital shipping lane, United Nations Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said July 11.

Yemen's Information Minister Muammar al-Eryani said he held the Houthis fully responsible for catastrophic repercussions from the Magic Sea sinking.

The ship was carrying approximately 17,000 metric tons of highly dangerous ammonium nitrate, he said, warning of pollution in the waterway due to Iran-backed Houthi terrorism.

Toxic fallout

The sinking of both ships with their cargoes of ammonium nitrate, oils and toxic substances will cause a serious environmental impact, Arab Democratic Center research projects director Abdul Qader al-Kharraz told Al-Fassel.

These substances dissolve into the water, he said, making it difficult to track them or prevent harmful effects on water quality, leading to widespread pollution that damages marine plants, harms fish and threatens coral reefs.

There is a high probability that currents in the Red Sea will cause the toxins to spread, and that these will transmit to humans through the food chain, potentially causing various kinds of illness, al-Kharraz said.

The latest environmental damage follows the Houthis' targeting of the Rubymar in February 2024. The vessel sank in March carrying more than 20,000 tons of fertilizer and large quantities of fuel, causing extensive Red Sea pollution.

The Houthis' targeting of commercial vessels using drones, ballistic missiles and explosives-laden boats violates Article 87 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, economist Abdul Aziz Thabet told Al-Fassel.

These attacks disrupt shipping and relief operations, negatively impact global supply chains, and increase insurance costs, with rates increasing from 0.3% to 1% of cargo value -- triple pre-attack levels, he said.

The Iranian regime's support for the Houthis threatens to turn the Red Sea into a hotbed of international conflict, he added, noting that the Houthis' attacks pose a direct threat to littoral countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt.