According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on the 11th, the “Magic Ocean” and “Eternity C” merchant ships, which were attacked by Houthi forces, had sought help from the British Navy and the EU’s naval fleet but were told “no ships are available nearby.”
Video footage released by Houthi forces controlling the media shows the “Magic Ocean” cargo ship sinking after being attacked.
Previous reports have indicated that the Houthi forces in Yemen announced the sinking of two cargo ships into the Red Sea off Hodeidah province in Yemen. A spokesperson for the cargo ship operator revealed to The Wall Street Journal that before the ship sank, he desperately sought help from the British Navy and the EU’s naval contingent, only to be told they “have no ships available nearby.”
The spokesperson also stated that Houthi forces launched fierce attacks using drones and other equipment against the cargo ship, causing it to sink and resulting in at least three crew members lost. However, there was no American or Western allied warship able to offer assistance.
In early May, the United States reached an agreement with the Houthi forces to cease fire, but following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, the Houthi forces announced a resumption of attacks on U.S. vessels in the Red Sea. However, a senior U.S. official has stated that the ceasefire remains effective as long as the Houthi forces do not open fire on U.S. vessels. A spokesperson for the Pentagon said that the U.S. has not changed its “military posture” regarding the attack incident.
The report highlights that due to a lack of military resources such as ships in the vicinity, Western forces have struggled to counter the increasingly complex arsenal of the Houthi forces in recent months. High-ranking U.S. officials, a British Navy spokesperson, and the head of the EU’s naval delegation in the Middle East have all expressed that there are “no ships” in the Red Sea area near the Houthi forces.