6 killed, 10 injured as suspected Houthi strikes hit cargo ship near Bab al-Mandeb

Suspected Houthi strikes targeted an Egyptian-owned cargo ship near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait off Yemen’s southern coast on Tuesday, killing at least six people and injuring 10 others, according to Yemen’s coastguard. The attack, if confirmed, would mark the first fatalities linked to a Houthi assault on commercial shipping since the Iran war began.

The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the attack, which is the latest in a series of incidents targeting vessels near the entrance to the Red Sea after the group announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia last month.

Crew members and rescuers among the dead

Yemen’s internationally recognised government said the initial strike on the cargo vessel Tihamah killed four crew members, while a second strike during an evacuation operation claimed the lives of two rescue personnel.

According to the coastguard, the first attack sparked a fire and caused extensive damage to the vessel.

Among those killed were three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national, the coastguard said.

“The initial salvo targeting the ship 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,” the coastguard said in a statement.

Second strike hits rescue teams

The coastguard said a second strike hit the vessel while rescue teams were evacuating the crew, leaving additional casualties among emergency responders.

“The attack struck the site of the rescue operation and resulted in deaths and injuries among the forces participating in the response operation,” the coastguard added.

A total of 10 people were injured in the attacks.

Government blames Houthis

Yemen’s Transport Ministry also blamed the Houthis for the strikes, although it reported a lower death toll of four.

In its statement, the ministry said it “held the Houthi terrorist militias fully responsible for the deaths, injuries and damage inflicted on the commercial vessel ‘Tihamah’ as well as for the serious consequences resulting from these attacks”.

The latest attack adds to mounting security concerns for commercial shipping at the entrance to the Red Sea, where maritime traffic has faced increasing threats since the Houthis declared a blockade of Saudi Arabia last month.