Deadly Attack on Ship in Red Sea: Houthi Assault Leaves Six Dead, Many Injured

A commercial vessel was targeted near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the southern coast of Yemen, with coast guard reports indicating at least six fatalities. This attack is the latest in a series of assaults in the strategically vital waterway, with the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels widely blamed for the incidents.

The Houthis have intensified their attacks on maritime traffic since announcing a blockade of the Saudi fleet in the Red Sea in July, amidst renewed hostilities between the two sides. The cargo ship Tihamah was struck by what the coast guard of Yemen's internationally recognized government described as a first blow that "caused a fire on the ship and significant damage." Four sailors, three Pakistanis and one Indonesian, lost their lives in this initial strike.

A second strike reportedly targeted the vessel as rescuers were conducting an evacuation operation, resulting in the deaths of two members of the deployed forces. In total, ten people were injured, according to the announcement. The Ministry of Transport, which had earlier reported four deaths, accused the Houthi rebels of hitting the cargo ship with "three successive ballistic missiles as it was crossing the strait," adding that the vessel was carrying food.

Both the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the maritime risk management company Vanguard Tech also reported the attack. A media outlet aligned with the Houthis claimed that the organization's armed forces targeted a ship carrying Saudi military equipment.