A second commercial vessel has sunk in the Red Sea after a missile attack attributed to the Houthi rebels, raising concerns about the escalating maritime insecurity in the region.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed on Saturday, June 15, that the Verbena, a commercial ship, was "still burning and sinking approximately 30 nautical miles northeast of Djibouti" after being attacked 98 nautical miles east of Aden, Yemen.

The UKMTO's statement on X (formerly Twitter) confirmed that the crew of the Palau-flagged cargo ship had been evacuated. "The vessel caught fire and is now sinking," the statement added.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) had previously confirmed that the Verbena was struck by Houthi missiles in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, June 13. The attack resulted in a fire on board and a serious injury to one crew member.

This incident marks the second sinking of a commercial vessel in the Red Sea following a Houthi attack. The first, the Roebmar, was sunk in February after a similar attack.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have launched a series of missile and drone attacks against commercial ships in the Red Sea, driving up maritime insurance costs and prompting many shipping companies to favor the much longer route around the southern tip of Africa.

In December 2023, the United States, a key ally of Israel, formed a multinational coalition to protect maritime traffic from attacks by the designated terrorist group. While US forces have launched strikes against Houthi military targets, the recent attacks highlight the ongoing threat to commercial shipping in the region.