Three Pakistanis die as multiple ships attacked in Gulf waters

Simmering tensions in a key global energy trading corridor intensified Tuesday as three separate ships came under attack in the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman, resulting in at least six deaths. Three Pakistanis are reported to be among the casualties.

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The initial salvo targeting the Tanzania-flagged Tihamah “caused a fire to break out aboard the vessel and inflicted extensive damage, in addition to causing deaths and injuries among its crew, including three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national killed,”

Yemen's coastguard reported that Houthi rebels struck a cargo vessel, the Tanzania-flagged Tihamah, causing a fire and inflicting extensive damage. The attack resulted in the deaths of four sailors and two members of a rescue team. A second strike targeted the vessel as rescue workers attempted to evacuate the ship, leading to further casualties and injuries.

In another incident, a Houth-linked media outlet claimed the rebels attacked a Saudi ship carrying military equipment in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, though this has not been officially confirmed. These attacks are the latest in a series of deadly assaults on shipping in the region since the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia.

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The attack struck the site of the rescue operation and resulted in deaths and injuries among the forces participating in the response operation

Separately, maritime security sources reported that a Panama-flagged container ship, the Vela Nova, was struck by a missile off Pakistan while en route to the Gulf of Oman. The Wall Street Journal cited sources indicating a U.S. helicopter fired a Hellfire missile at the ship's rudder after it attempted to evade a U.S. blockade of Iran-linked shipping. U.S. Central Command confirmed firing missiles into the engine room of the cargo ship after its crew allegedly ignored warnings.

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after the ship’s civilian crew ignored repeated warnings from American forces