Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility Wednesday for a cruise missile attack that left a Dutch-flagged cargo ship ablaze and adrift in the Gulf of Aden. The strike, which seriously damaged the Minervagracht and injured two crew members, marked the most significant escalation in months by the group outside the Red Sea corridor.
According to Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, the ship was targeted for allegedly violating a Houthi-imposed ban on docking at Israeli ports. The Minervagracht’s owner, Amsterdam-based Spliethoff, denied such connections, while the U.S. Navy’s Joint Maritime Information Center said it was reviewing the vessel’s affiliations. The attack occurred Monday, but the Houthis formally claimed responsibility early Wednesday.
The 19-member multinational crew—composed of sailors from the Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Ukraine—was forced to evacuate the vessel after the missile strike ignited a fire and rendered the ship adrift. Two mariners were injured in the incident. European naval forces operating in the region under Operation Aspides confirmed the ship was abandoned and damaged.
Spliethoff issued a statement condemning the attack, calling it “a direct attack on our innocent seafarers and a breach of the right of free navigation.” The Netherlands’ Foreign Ministry echoed the condemnation, announcing it would push for European Union sanctions against the Houthis.
The Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks on more than 100 ships since late 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. However, many of the ships attacked had minimal or no connection to Israel. The group’s campaign has destabilized Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping lanes, which once saw $1 trillion in trade pass annually.
Wednesday’s statement also included new threats. The Houthis announced “sanctions” against American energy companies—including Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil—and named individuals and two specific vessels. In Houthi parlance, such sanctions often signal impending attacks, as seen in previous incidents.
The attack represents an expansion of the Houthis’ operational range. The last confirmed commercial vessel attack in the Gulf of Aden occurred in August 2024. In total, the Houthis’ maritime campaign has sunk four ships and killed at least eight mariners.
A brief halt in attacks followed a ceasefire agreement earlier this year, reached after a weekslong U.S. airstrike campaign ordered by President Donald Trump. That truce appears increasingly fragile amid renewed threats and open aggression from the Houthi insurgency.
