The Houthi armed group in Yemen attacked two bulk carriers in the Red Sea earlier this month, which NGO Human Rights Watch said today are violations of the laws of war amounting to war crimes. The Houthis sunk both ships, killing and injuring several crewmembers, and appear to be unlawfully detaining six rescued crewmembers. The NGO has also said that Israel’s attacks on Yemeni port infrastructure could also be viewed as war crimes. The Houthis, who have controlled most of Yemen since 2015, sought to justify the attacks as part of their hostilities with Israel which began in October 2023. Human Rights Watch found no evidence that the ships were military targets under relevant laws of armed conflict. In addition, neither ship bore any connection to Israel nor was heading there. One had recently delivered humanitarian aid to Somalia. “The Houthis have sought to justify unlawful attacks by pointing to Israeli violations against Palestinians,” said Niku Jafarnia, Yemen and Bahrain researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Houthis should end all attacks on ships not taking part in the conflict and immediately release the crew members in their custody.” On July 6, Houthi naval forces attacked the Magic Seas (pictured), a Greek-operated, Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, about 51 nautical miles southwest of the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah. United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a voluntary reporting program between merchant vessels and military forces in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean area, reported that multiple small craft fired rocket-propelled grenades at the Magic Seas, causing a fire onboard. A passing merchant vessel rescued the ship’s 22 crewmembers, who had abandoned ship. The ship sank the next day. On July 7, Houthi naval forces attacked a Greek-owned, Liberian-flagged commercial vessel, Eternity C, just west of Hodeidah. UKMTO reported that a small craft deploying multiple rocket propelled grenades fired on the vessel just west of Hodeidah. The Houthis issued a statement that naval drones and six cruise and ballistic missiles attacked the ship. The attacks continued on July 8 and the ship sank on July 9. Eternity C had a crew of 25 with at least four killed and six taken hostage by the Houthis. Houthi spokesperson, Yahya Saree, stated that Houthi forces had rescued several of the ship’s crew members and provided them with medical care and moved them to a safe place. However, it appears that the Houthis are still holding them unlawfully. The Houthis stated that the attacked ships and their operating company violated the Houthi ban on dealings with Israeli ports and refused calls to stop. However, the Magic Seas was en route to Turkey from China and was carrying fertilizer and steel billets, while the Eternity C was en route to Saudi Arabia from Somalia after delivering humanitarian aid for the United Nations World Food Programme. The Houthis did meet the international law requirements for a lawful naval blockade, Human Rights Watch said. Human Rights Watch reviewed videos and photos the Houthis posted on social media showing their forces attacking and sinking the two ships. One video includes audio of a conversation, whose authenticity Human Rights Watch could not confirm, with the Houthis ordering the Magic Sea’s crew to stop the ship. The video shows Houthi forces apparently boarding the ship, and several subsequent explosions across the ship before it sinks. Another video appears to show attacks on Eternity C and its su