A cargo vessel operating in the Red Sea came under missile fire attributed to Yemen’s Houthis, resulting in six deaths and ten injuries, according to Yemen’s internationally recognized government. The transport ministry reported that the ship sustained impact from three ballistic missiles south of the port of Mocha, which ignited a fire on deck and killed four crew members—three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian. A subsequent missile strike targeted rescue personnel who were attempting to evacuate the vessel, resulting in additional casualties.
The Houthis claimed responsibility for striking a ship they characterized as carrying Saudi military cargo. If confirmed as their operation, this would represent the first lethal attack by the group on shipping since armed conflict between the United States and Israel against Iran commenced on 28 February. The Houthis had previously announced a naval blockade of Saudi ports and initiated a campaign of strikes against shipping in the Red Sea region.
The incident reflects ongoing tensions in a conflict that has persisted for more than five months. A ceasefire arrangement that had been intended to facilitate a comprehensive settlement recently collapsed. The Houthis, who maintain control of northwestern Yemen and are headquartered in the capital Sanaa, have conducted parallel operations including attacks on Saudi tankers and oil infrastructure. These activities have coincided with Iran’s restriction of access through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage through which approximately one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies transit.
The vessel in question, identified as the Tihamah through ship-tracking databases, was struck in the Bab al-Mandab Strait near the Red Sea inlet. The ship operates under a Tanzanian flag and is reportedly owned by an Egyptian operator, though characterizations of its registry and affiliation have varied across official statements and media reports. Yemen’s government stated the vessel was engaged in commercial food transport, describing the targeting of civilian shipping as an escalation in Houthi tactics. Maritime risk management companies documented that Yemeni naval forces deployed to assist the vessel and sustained fire during the response operation.
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