Houthi attack on Saudi-linked vessel kills three in Bab el-Mandeb

Three crew members were killed during a Houthi attack on the Tihamah, a small cargo ship with Saudi interests flying a Tanzanian flag, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The victims have been identified as two Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national.

The incident occurred near the island of Perim in Yemen as the vessel was traveling from Salalah, Oman, via Djibouti. Following the strike, the crew lost control of the ship, which was subsequently approached by the Yemeni Coast Guard. The UK Maritime Trade Operations and the maritime security firm Ambrey confirmed the vessel was targeted and sustained damage.

This attack marks the first fatalities resulting from a Houthi aerial strike on a vessel since the escalation of conflict in the Middle East following US-Israel strikes on Iran in late February. The Houthis previously declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, a move rejected by Riyadh. The ongoing instability in this strategic waterway, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, continues to threaten global shipping routes between Europe and Asia.