The Netherlands has urged the European Union to formally designate Yemen’s Houthi movement as a terrorist organisation after the group claimed responsibility for striking a Dutch-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden earlier this week.
The Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have repeatedly targeted international shipping in the Red Sea since 2023, claiming their actions are in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war in Gaza.
“The Houthis have long posed a serious threat to freedom of navigation,” the Dutch Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
Several countries, including the United States, Israel, Canada and Australia, already list the Houthis — officially known as Ansar Allah — as a terrorist organisation. If the EU were to follow suit, the decision would lead to the imposition of sanctions, including the freezing of assets and economic restrictions. The bloc’s terrorism list currently names 13 individuals and 22 groups or entities.
The latest incident occurred on Monday when the Dutch-operated general cargo ship Minervagracht was struck by a cruise missile in international waters. The attack left two crew members injured and prompted the evacuation of 19 sailors by helicopter, according to EU maritime mission Aspides and the vessel’s operator, Amsterdam-based Spliethoff. The strike caused significant damage and a fire on board.
A spokesperson for the Houthis’ military wing confirmed responsibility for the assault, stating it was retaliation against the vessel’s owner for allegedly breaching what they called “the entry ban to the ports of occupied Palestine”.
This marked the Houthis’ first strike on a commercial vessel since 1 September, when they targeted the Israeli-owned tanker Scarlet Ray near the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu. Earlier this year, in July, the group also attacked and sank two ships — the Magic Seas bulk carrier and the Eternity C cargo vessel — in the Red Sea.
The last major Houthi attack in the Gulf of Aden prior to Monday’s incident was against the Singapore-flagged container ship Lobivia in July 2024.
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