Houthis in Yemen Sink Second Cargo Ship: Trump Admin Tested (Iran)

Houthis in Yemen Sink Second Cargo Ship: Trump Admin Tested (Iran)

Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The Houthi rebels in Yemen, widely seen as an Iranian proxy, have intensified their campaign of attacks against international shipping. Recently, they sank two cargo vessels in the Red Sea, escalating tensions in this vital maritime corridor.

At the same time, President Donald Trump has increased pressure on Israel to halt its bombing campaign against Iran and is advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza. However, this approach appears to be affording Iran greater strategic flexibility. In response, Iran may be emboldening the Houthis to escalate their actions in the Red Sea as a show of defiance and leverage.

If the Trump administration fails to respond decisively to the Houthis and curb Iran’s broader regional ambitions, it risks projecting weakness. Such inaction could lead regional actors to perceive the United States as a “paper tiger” under Trump’s leadership.

The BBC reports, “The Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated Eternity C was carrying 25 crew when it sustained significant damage and lost all propulsion after being hit by rocket-propelled grenades fired from small boats on Monday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency.”

CNN reports, “The loss of the ship marks the second sinking by the Houthis this week, following an attack on the cargo vessel Magic Seas on Sunday which caused its crew to abandon ship. The Yemeni group has repeatedly targeted ships it claims have Israeli links, vowing to continue until Israel ends its military campaign in Gaza.”

According to the US Embassy in Yemen, the Houthis “kidnapped many surviving crew members.”

Israel is likely to view the Trump administration unfavorably if it fails to respond to the escalating Houthi attacks against international shipping. This perceived inaction mirrors the administration’s inconsistent approach toward the Russian Federation and Ukraine—marked by initial assertiveness followed by a softening stance—suggesting a lack of clear strategic direction.

AP News reports, “The Houthis are members of Islam’s minority Shiite Zaydi sect, which ruled Yemen for 1,000 years until 1962. They battled Yemen’s central government for years before sweeping down from their northern stronghold in Yemen and seizing the capital, Sanaa, in 2014. That launched a grinding war still technically being waged in the country today. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 to try to restore Yemen’s exiled, internationally recognized government to power.”

The nation of Yemen is fragmented by internal factions throughout the country. This situation is further complicated by the involvement of rival regional powers backing opposing sides through shifting alliances.

Caught in the crossfire of geopolitical, political, regional, and sectarian conflicts, millions of ordinary Yemenis continue to suffer. As a result, widespread malnutrition, food insecurity, and severe health crises afflict large portions of the population.

Over the past decade, approximately 150,000 people have lost their lives, while nearly 5 million have been displaced from their homes. As a result, countless Yemenis now depend on humanitarian aid, with malnutrition becoming an increasingly widespread and urgent reality in this war-ravaged nation.

Iran’s regional influence has been significantly weakened following the targeted killings of key Hezbollah leaders in Lebanon by Israel, along with a recent wave of bombing campaigns against Iranian interests. The fall of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria has further diminished Tehran’s geopolitical leverage. However, the Houthis in Yemen continue to pose a formidable threat, maintaining their strength despite years of a Saudi-led military campaign aimed at curbing their power.

The Trump administration needs to take a firmer stance against the Houthis and Iran.

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