A brutal and deadly Houthi militant attack on the Liberian-flagged cargo ship Eternity C in the Red Sea has killed at least two crew members and left the vessel without propulsion. This shocking assault marks a dangerous escalation in maritime violence by the Tehran-backed group along one of the world’s most vital trade routes.

The attack on the Greek-owned bulk carrier Eternity C in the crucial maritime route came after the Houthis attacked a similar ship called Magic Seas.

An attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea killed three mariners and wounded two others, a European Union naval force said Tuesday. The attack on the Greek-owned Eternity C follows the Houthis claiming they attacked another vessel on Sunday in the Red Sea,