António Guterres: Houthi Attacks a Serious Escalation Threatening Maritime Security
July 12, 202582 ViewsRead Time: 2 minutes
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In a dangerous development reflecting a new escalation in the Red Sea crisis, UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the resumption of maritime attacks by the Houthi group on commercial ships, which have led to the loss of lives of several sailors and caused serious damage to civilian vessels.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in a statement issued yesterday, Friday: "The Secretary-General strongly condemns the attacks carried out by the Houthis on civilian ships in the Red Sea between July 6 and 8 of this year, which resulted in the sinking of the ships 'Majic S' and 'Athenian S', and the killing of at least four sailors, in addition to injuring others".
The statement added that the sinking of the ship 'Athenian S', which flies the flag of Liberia and is operated by a Greek company, represents a dangerous escalation in a vital waterway for global navigation, pointing out that the attacks threaten the safety and security of sailors, violate freedom of navigation, and warn of an environmental, economic, and humanitarian disaster in a fragile coastal region.
The death toll from the attack on the ship 'Athenian S' has risen to four individuals, amid ongoing search and rescue operations to find at least 15 missing crew members.
Guterres called on the Houthi group to refrain from any actions that hinder search and rescue operations, emphasizing the need to respect international law and Security Council Resolution 2768 of 2025, which calls for a halt to attacks on commercial ships.
The Secretary-General also reaffirmed the UN's commitment to continue its efforts to de-escalate the situation in the Red Sea and Yemen, and to maintain constant communication with all Yemeni, regional, and international parties to reach a peaceful and sustainable solution to the Yemeni conflict.
These developments come amid escalating tensions in the Red Sea, bringing the issue of maritime security back to the international forefront and raising serious questions about the future stability in one of the world's most important maritime passages.
