The first casualties!

Houthi rebels kill two sailors in the Red Sea

The Houthi rebels are supported by the Iranian mullah regime.(Bild: AFP)

Three crew members have apparently been killed in a missile attack by Houthi rebels on a merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden. The survivors were forced to abandon ship on Wednesday, according to the authorities. The sailors are the first fatalities since the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea began.

The attack on the Barbados-flagged freighter "True Confidence" marks a further escalation on one of the world's most important sea routes linking Asia and the Middle East with Europe.

According to the AP news agency, the full extent of the attack and the damage is not yet known. Some of the crew were able to reach safety in lifeboats. The Greek-owned ship caught fire about 50 nautical miles off the coast, reports Reuters.

Rebels announce tougher attacks
According to their own statements, the Houthi are acting in solidarity with the Islamist Hamas in Gaza and are directing their attacks at freighters with alleged links to Israel, the USA or Great Britain. They recently announced that they would intensify their attacks.

According to the UKMTO, the body responsible for the safety of merchant shipping, the "True Confidence" is now drifting rudderless in the sea. An earlier report had stated that ships in the vicinity had heard a loud bang and a large cloud of smoke.

Western coalition attacked Houthi positions
One of the most important shipping routes for world trade runs along Yemen, through which freighters from the Indian Ocean reach the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal in Egypt. In response to the attacks, the USA and the UK have carried out several military strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen. The EU has also launched a military operation to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea.