Press Release: Veritas Press C.I.C. Author: Kamran Faqir Article Date Published: 01 Sept 2025 at 16:23 GMT Category: Middle East | Yemen | US-Israel At War Source(s): Veritas Press C.I.C. | Multi News Agencies
SANAA / RED SEA – A ballistic missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi movement reportedly targeted an Israeli-owned oil tanker in the northern Red Sea on Sunday, in what appears to be a retaliatory strike for last week’s Israeli air raid that killed the group’s prime minister and several top ministers.
The operation coincided with mass funeral processions in Sanaa for the slain officials, drawing thousands to the capital’s al-Sabeen Square amid vows of vengeance and rising regional tensions.
Conflicting Accounts At Sea:
The Yemeni Armed Forces announced that a ballistic missile had “directly struck” the Scarlet Ray, a Liberia-flagged tanker owned by Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), a company controlled by Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer. Brigadier General Yahya Saree, the group’s military spokesman, declared the attack part of an ongoing campaign to obstruct “Israeli maritime navigation” and show solidarity with Gaza.
“Our operations will continue until ships linked to the Zionist entity are prevented from reaching occupied ports,” Saree said in a statement broadcast by Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV.
But independent maritime reports tell a different story.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said the vessel’s master reported “a splash in close proximity” and “a loud bang,” but confirmed the ship was undamaged, the crew unharmed, and the voyage continuing. EPS issued its own statement: “The vessel has not sustained any damage and continues to operate under the command of its master.”
British security firm Ambrey assessed the ship “aligned with the Houthis’ target profile” because of its publicly known Israeli ownership.
“Whether they hit or near-miss matters less than proving they can put a named ship on the tape,” a London-based shipping analyst told this reporter. “It’s about signalling capability and forcing insurers to keep rates high.”
A Funeral Becomes A Rallying Cry:
In Sanaa, mourners gathered at the Shaab Mosque for the funerals of Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi and more than 10 senior officials killed in Thursday’s Israeli airstrike, the deadliest leadership decapitation in Yemen’s recent history. Coffins draped in Yemeni flags were carried on military vehicles as crowds chanted “Death to America, Death to Israel.”
“We’re participating in this funeral because Israel killed those officials, and that’s enough reason to attend,” said Ahmed Azam, one attendee.
Acting Prime Minister Mohammed Miftah vowed revenge while assuring citizens that state institutions remain intact: “The ports are operating, and no crisis has occurred. The blood of the martyrs gives us motivation and determination.”
Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi denounced the killings as “savagery” and hailed the dead as “martyrs of all Yemen.”
Israel has signalled that it will respond to Houthi attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the group would “pay a heavy price” for targeting Israeli shipping and launching missiles toward its territory.
Beyond Symbolism: Strategic And Legal Stakes.
The Scarlet Ray incident underscores the Houthis’ evolving strategy of maritime disruption. Since late 2023, the group has attacked or seized dozens of vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, sinking two tankers in July and detaining crew members in what Human Rights Watch has labelled “apparent war crimes.”
“The pattern is deliberate: disrupt trade, impose costs, and project solidarity with Palestinians,” said a regional security analyst. “Each attack forces rerouting, spikes insurance, and signals that the Red Sea is no longer a safe corridor.”
Legal experts warn that both sides are operating near or beyond the limits of international humanitarian law (IHL). The ICRC reiterated last month: “Upholding IHL is not a choice. Civilian objects and personnel must be spared.” Targeting commercial shipping or civilian officials, rights groups stress, risks breaching those protections.
Aid Access In Peril:
The crisis deepened Monday when Houthi forces raided UN offices in Sanaa and detained at least 11 staff members, accusing them of espionage. The UN Secretary-General demanded their “immediate and unconditional release,” warning the move could cripple humanitarian operations in a country where millions depend on aid.
“Every time this war shifts to civilian infrastructure, the ordinary Yemeni pays twice, first in fear, then in shortages,” said a humanitarian official in Aden, speaking on condition of anonymity.
What’s Next: Retaliation And Risk.
With the funerals transforming into political theatre and the missile strike dominating headlines, analysts see three major risks ahead:
- Escalation Ladder: Israel may broaden its campaign against the Houthis, increasing the likelihood of civilian harm.
- Shipping Shock: Even near-misses keep insurance premiums soaring and may divert global trade routes from the Red Sea.
- Humanitarian Fallout: Detained UN staff and rising insecurity could collapse aid pipelines to Sanaa-controlled areas.
“The Red Sea is now a proxy battleground,” said the London shipping analyst. “Today’s splash could be tomorrow’s catastrophe.”
Key Facts At A Glance:
| Event | Details |
| Israeli Strike on Sanaa | Killed PM Ahmed al-Rahawi, 10+ ministers |
| Houthi Missile Operation | Claimed direct hit on Scarlet Ray |
| UKMTO Report | Near miss, no damage, crew safe |
| UN Detentions | 11 staff held in Sanaa |
Conclusion: A Conflict Spilling Far Beyond Yemen.
The missile that streaked toward the Scarlet Ray was more than an act of vengeance. It was a warning shot in a regional shadow war, where shipping lanes, energy security, and civilian lives are bargaining chips in a high-stakes struggle stretching from Sanaa to Tel Aviv.
The Houthis’ strategy, leveraging maritime disruption to project influence and claim solidarity with Gaza, has already transformed the Red Sea into one of the world’s most volatile choke points. Each near-miss or successful strike tightens the economic noose on global trade and heightens the probability of catastrophic miscalculation.
Israel’s targeted killing of Yemeni leaders, carried out without acknowledgment of proportionality or legality, adds another layer of complexity. Analysts argue it reflects a shift toward pre-emptive assassination as foreign policy, setting a precedent that could normalise extraterritorial strikes. “This is lawless geopolitics,” said a senior Middle East researcher at Human Rights Watch. “You have a non-state actor attacking civilian shipping and a state actor assassinating political figures in another country, all while civilians starve.”
Meanwhile, the detention of UN aid workers signals that humanitarian norms are collapsing under the weight of militarized politics. For millions of Yemenis already on the brink of famine, the war’s maritime and aerial theatres offer no relief, only more uncertainty and scarcity.
As one shipping insurance executive put it bluntly: “If the Red Sea becomes the next Strait of Hormuz, global markets will bleed, and so will the law.”
The unanswered question is not whether this confrontation will escalate, but how far the Red Sea will be dragged into the centre of a widening regional conflict and at what human cost.
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