Houthi Attack on Cargo Ship Kills Three Pakistanis, One Indonesian in Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian sailor were killed after Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked the Egyptian-owned cargo vessel Tihamah in Yemen's strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemen's Transport Ministry.

The attack marks the first reported fatalities involving commercial shipping since the Iran conflict escalated on February 28. Officials said the vessel lost control after it was struck while navigating one of the world's busiest maritime corridors.

Rescue Operation Also Came Under Attack

The violence escalated when rescue teams reached the damaged ship.

According to Yemen's Coast Guard, Houthi fighters launched a second strike targeting rescue personnel, killing two members of the anti-Houthi National Resistance Forces.

A total of 10 people were injured, including:

• Seven crew members
• Two Coast Guard personnel
• One National Resistance Forces member

The attack has raised fresh concerns over the safety of humanitarian and rescue operations in the Red Sea.

UK Maritime Agency Confirms Projectile Strike

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), operated by the British Navy, confirmed that a vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait had been struck by an unidentified projectile.

Maritime security firm Ambrey reported that the attack occurred while the cargo ship was anchored northeast of Perim Island.

Reuters identified the vessel as the Tihamah by matching photographs and ship-tracking data. The vessel had departed the Yemeni government-controlled port of Al Mokha before coming under attack.

Houthis Claim Military Target

The Houthis later claimed responsibility, stating they had targeted a vessel allegedly carrying Saudi military equipment in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

However, they did not identify the ship by name.

Shipping data indicates that Tihamah is owned and managed by Egyptian companies and is neither Saudi-owned nor Saudi-operated.

Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the Houthi claim.

Red Sea Shipping Disruptions Deepen

The latest strike comes weeks after the Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, accusing Riyadh of maintaining a blockade on Yemen. Saudi Arabia has rejected the allegation.

Commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb has continued to decline:

• Maritime traffic through the Red Sea has fallen by more than 50% since Houthi attacks on commercial vessels began in 2023.
• Shipping analytics firm Kpler reported an average of 32 vessels per day transiting the Bab el-Mandeb last week, compared with around 50 vessels daily before the latest escalation.

Fresh Incident Reported Near Pakistan

In a separate development, maritime security sources reported that the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova was struck by a missile while sailing off the coast of Pakistan toward the Gulf of Oman.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a US military helicopter later fired a Hellfire missile at the vessel's rudder after it allegedly attempted to evade a US blockade targeting Iran-linked shipping.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has not commented on the report.

Strait of Hormuz Traffic Also Falls

Regional maritime traffic continues to decline amid rising security concerns.

According to shipping data:

• Only six vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
• The recent 10-day average stood at around 11 vessels per day.
• Before the latest regional conflict, the waterway typically handled 130–140 vessels daily.

The sharp decline highlights growing disruption across two of the world's most strategically important shipping routes.

Why It Matters

The attack on Tihamah underscores the widening threat to international shipping in the Middle East. With commercial vessels, rescue teams and key maritime chokepoints increasingly under attack, concerns are mounting over global trade, energy supplies and regional security as tensions involving the Houthis, Iran and Saudi Arabia continue to escalate.