A Liberian-flagged cargo ship attacked by Yemen has sunk in the Red Sea, with only six of 25 people on board rescued, Houthi-controlled media Alnkkar reported on July 9.

The attack on the Eternity C, which killed at least three crew members, marks an escalation in Yemeni operations against Israel, where ships had slowly begun returning after a pause in rebel attacks.

Nearly all foreign governments do not recognise the Houthi-led government in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, apart from its main supporter in Iran. Yemen's government in exile has not controlled the country for several years. 

Military spokesman for Sanaa forces Yahya Saree said in a statement that forces targeted the Greek ship Eternity C after it was heading to Eilat port, resulting in its sinking.

Saree said "naval forces targeted the ship with a guided boat and six cruise and ballistic missiles, and the operation resulted in the complete sinking of the ship," noting the operation was documented with audio and video.

He said "after the operation, a group of special forces from the naval forces moved to rescue a number of the ship's crew, provide medical care for them and transfer them to a safe place," confirming the ship was targeted after refusing "calls and warnings from Yemeni naval forces."

A European Union naval mission statement said the crew had included 22 sailors – 21 Filipinos and one Russian – plus a three-member security team. Those rescued were five Filipinos and one Indian, leaving 19 people missing.

Yemen's armed forces spokesman said naval forces had targeted the ship with guided boats and six cruise and ballistic missiles as it headed towards the port of Eilat (Arabic: Um al-Rashrash).

"This operation resulted in the complete sinking of the ship and all details were documented with recorded audio and images," the spokesman said.

Yemeni special naval forces reportedly rescued some crew members after the operation, providing medical services before transferring them to a safe location.

The attack followed another assault, on the bulk carrier Magic Seas, which also sank, raising new questions about Red Sea safety.

From November 2023 until December 2024, the Houthi-backed unrecognised government controlling the Yemeni capital city targeted more than 100 ships with missiles and drones in a campaign supporting Palestinians during the Gaza war.

The Yemeni forces stopped attacks during a brief ceasefire before becoming targets of intense US airstrikes ordered by President Donald Trump.

The attacks threaten the Red Sea route that once carried $1 trillion in cargo annually and come as a possible Gaza ceasefire and US-Iran nuclear talks remain uncertain.