
6 days · 3 summary articles
Six killed in suspected Houthi missile strike on cargo ship in Bab el-Mandeb strait
Houthi missile and drone strikes kill seven in Yemens al-Makha port city
Indian crew rescued after cargo ship sinks in Red Sea attack near Yemen
At least six people were killed on Tuesday in a suspected Houthi attack on a cargo vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, according to Yemen’s coastguard. Four crew members died in the initial strike on the Egyptian-owned ship, while two rescue workers were killed during a subsequent attack as they attempted to evacuate the vessel, the coastguard said in a statement.
The initial salvo caused a fire and extensive damage, killing three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian crew member, the statement added. A second strike hit the rescue site, injuring 10 people. Yemen’s transport ministry, which also blamed the Houthis, reported four fatalities and said the ship, the *Tihamah*, was carrying food supplies when it was struck by three ballistic missiles near Perim Island. The ministry called on the international community to take urgent measures to protect shipping in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis, who have not claimed responsibility, declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea on July 20, citing a Saudi "siege" of Yemen. Riyadh has denied such a blockade exists. The *Tihamah* was sailing from Salalah, Oman, via Djibouti when it was hit, Yemeni sources said. After the attack, the crew lost control of the vessel and was approached by Yemeni coastguard forces.
Separately, U.S. forces fired on a Panama-flagged ship early Tuesday after its crew ignored warnings to comply with a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to the Wall Street Journal. A U.S. military helicopter struck the vessel’s rudder, and no casualties were immediately reported, a U.S. official told the newspaper .
The British maritime security group Ambrey said the incident involving the *Tihamah* occurred while the ship was at anchor northeast of Perim Island. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a separate incident in the Gulf of Oman involving a container ship and military forces .
Yemen’s internationally recognized government, backed by Saudi Arabia, controls parts of the country, while the Iran-backed Houthis hold the northwest. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted ships in the region since July, including Saudi-linked vessels, as part of the broader conflict tied to the Iran war that began on Feb. 28.
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