A bulk carrier was hit by bomb-carrying drone boats and grenades in the Red Sea on July 6. The most likely perpetrators of the attack are the Houthis.
The 19-man crew of the Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged vessel had to abandon the ship and was rescued by a nearby vessel from a lifeboat. The crew has since disembarked in Djibouti, while the ship is currently at risk of sinking.The Houthis, a Yemeni group who have carried out several similar attacks on ships linked to Israeli interests since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023, have yet to claim responsibility.The ship was carrying a cargo of iron and fertilizer from the Chinese port of Zhuhai to Turkey. It has no direct link to Israel, albeit it had stopped at Israeli ports in the past.
If Houthi involvement is confirmed, this would be the first attack of its kind since mid-April. It could mark a serious escalation in the region, as the Israeli Air Force has targeted three Yemeni ports and a power station since July 6.
With attacks, rerouted vessels, and rising costs, the Red Sea’s choppy waters reflect the broader instability shaping today’s global power plays—and the ripple effects are felt worldwide.
As global tensions simmer and trade routes shift, the Red Sea crisis isn’t just a regional issue: it’s a window into the future of global power struggles.
Click through this gallery to understand what’s at stake—and who’s shaping the tides.