The attack on the Eternity C, which also killed at least three of the crew, represents the most serious assault carried out by the Houthis in the crucial maritime trade route.

The attack on the Greek-owned Eternity C follows the Iranian-backed Houthis attacking another vessel on Sunday in the Red Sea that they said subsequently sank.

Israel has carried out its first strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen since the Israel-Iran ceasefire, attacking ports and a power plant around midnight local time Sunday night into Monday morning.