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 and sank another vessel Monday in the Red Sea,

Houthi attacks on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea follow Israeli strikes on Yemen's ports, heightening regional tensions.

The attack on the Magic Seas, a dry bulk carrier owned by Greece’s Stem Shipping, was the first on a commercial vessel since December by the group, which is backed by Iran. It was followed almost immediately by Israeli strikes on a number of Houthi-held ports in Yemen.