The Netherlands has formally called on the European Union to designate Yemen’s Houthis as a terrorist organization following a missile strike on the Dutch-flagged cargo vessel Minervagracht in the Gulf of Aden, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
The Houthis, aligned with Iran and formally known as Ansar Allah, claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack, which injured two sailors and prompted the helicopter evacuation of 19 crew members. The vessel, operated by Amsterdam-based Spliethoff, was in international waters when it was hit, sustaining significant damage and catching fire.
According to the EU maritime mission Aspides, the strike was carried out using a cruise missile. The Houthis justified the attack by accusing the ship’s owner of violating “the entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine.”
“The Houthis have long posed a serious threat to freedom of navigation,” the Dutch Foreign Ministry stated on Wednesday.
If the EU adds the Houthis to its terrorist list - currently comprising 13 individuals and 22 groups - it would trigger economic sanctions and the freezing of assets.
The Minervagracht strike marks the first Houthi attack on a commercial vessel since September 1, when the Israeli-owned tanker Scarlet Ray was targeted near Yanbu, Saudi Arabia.
In July, the Houthis sank the Magic Seas bulk carrier and the Eternity C cargo ship in the Red Sea. The last major attack in the Gulf of Aden occurred in July 2024, targeting the Singapore-flagged Lobivia container ship.
In March, the US launched strikes against the Houthis on the orders of President Donald Trump.
Trump later announced that the US would stop bombing the Houthis after the rebels communicated that they would stop attacking commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Even though the Houthis halted their attack on US ships, they stressed that they would continue attacks on Israel and on ships linked to Israel, as they have done since the start of the conflict in Gaza.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Yom Kippur in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)