After a hiatus of more than six months, the Houthis have resumed targeted attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, escalating concerns over maritime security in the region. Israeli-affiliated vessels in the crosshairs The Houthis are targeting vessels they perceive to have affiliations with Israel or Israelis. Such affiliations reportedly include ships owned by companies whose other vessels have visited Israeli ports. Both ships attacked in recent days are believed to fall under this category. On 6 July, the bulk carrier Magic Seas came under attack by armed men in multiple skiffs. Despite an initial firefight between the attackers and the ship’s onboard armed guards, the assailants managed to gain control of the vessel. They subsequently detonated a series of explosive charges, leading to the vessel’s sinking. Fortunately, all crew members were reported to have been safely rescued. The following day, 7 July, the bulk carrier Eternity C was also attacked. This incident was far more tragic, resulting in several seafarer casualties, others sustaining injuries, and numerous still unaccounted for at the time of writing (9 July morning in Europe). Guidance for Red Sea Transits In response to these developments, BIMCO, in collaboration with other shipping associations, has issued updated guidance to help vessels mitigate risks while transiting the Southern Red Sea. These resources, available at maritimeglobalsecurity.org, include: Best Management Practices for Maritime Security (BMP MS) Detailed guidance for navigating the Southern Red Sea Maritime Security Threat Overviews (MISTO) Ship operators and masters are strongly encouraged to review these documents alongside up-to-date threat intelligence from private security providers or authorities such as UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC). Recommendations for Enhanced Security BIMCO emphasises the importance of conducting thorough security risk assessments prior to tra