In a recent escalation of their campaign targeting shipping through the vital maritime corridor in the Red Sea, Yemen's Houthi rebels have reportedly sunk a bulk carrier, the Tutor, believed to have killed one mariner on board. This is the second ship to be sunk by the rebels, marking a concerning development in their operations.

The Tutor, a Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned-and-operated vessel, reportedly sank in the Red Sea, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. Maritime debris and oil were sighted in the last known location of the ship, leading authorities to believe that it has indeed sunk.

The attack on the Tutor took place approximately a week ago when it was targeted by a bomb-carrying Houthi drone boat. The use of a boat loaded with explosives has raised concerns, as it echoes the infamous 2000 USS Cole attack by al-Qaeda, in which 17 sailors were killed. The sinking of the Tutor in a similar manner raises fears of a growing threat to commercial vessels in the region.

The Houthis, who are believed to be backed by Iran, have been responsible for over 50 attacks on shipping, resulting in the deaths of four sailors. They have also seized one vessel and sunk two since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. Despite a U.S.-led airstrike campaign targeting the rebels since January, the attacks have continued unabated.

The goal of the Houthi attacks remains unclear, as they claim to be targeting ships connected to Israel, the U.S., or the U.K. However, many of the vessels attacked have little or no connection to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

The sinking of the Tutor comes at a time when the U.S. Navy is already facing intense maritime fighting in the region, with near-daily attacks on commercial vessels and warships. The U.S. military has yet to acknowledge the sinking and has not provided any comment regarding the incident.

The ongoing attacks have had a significant impact on shipping in the region, with a recent report by the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency revealing that container shipping through the Red Sea has declined by 90% since December. This decline represents approximately 15% of the world's maritime traffic flowing through the crucial corridor.

The Houthis, who continue their assaults on ships, have further intensified their campaign as part of the larger backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The conflict has claimed the lives of over 37,000 Palestinians in Gaza, with hundreds more killed in Israeli operations in the West Bank. The reasoning behind the Houthi attacks, which have targeted ships unrelated to the conflict, remains a subject of concern.

Efforts to counter the Houthi attacks are ongoing, with the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, an aircraft carrier, leading a U.S. Navy operation in the Red Sea. However, it appears that the rebels are undeterred by these countermeasures, posing a significant challenge to maritime security in the region.