A Houthi attack in the Red Sea has killed three crew members aboard a small cargo ship near Yemen’s Bab el-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemeni coast guard and military sources.
The Tanzania-flagged Tihamah was reportedly attacked on Tuesday near the Yemeni port of al-Mokha. If confirmed, the incident would mark the first reported deaths in a Houthi strike on a vessel since the latest Middle East conflict began.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations said it received information that a cargo vessel off al-Mokha had been hit by an unidentified projectile, resulting in casualties. The circumstances of the attack remain under investigation.
British maritime security company Ambrey said the vessel was reportedly targeted and damaged by the Houthis while anchored near Perim Island. Three crew members were reportedly killed in the incident.
Yemeni sources said two Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian crew member died in the attack. The ship had been travelling from Salalah in Oman through Djibouti when it was struck, after which the crew reportedly lost control of the vessel.
The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the incident so far. However, the group announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last month, citing what it described as a Saudi siege of Yemen, a claim Riyadh has denied.
The Houthi attack in the Red Sea has added to growing uncertainty for international shipping companies. Kpler data showed that around 32 ships a day passed through Bab el-Mandeb last week, compared with about 50 before the blockade.
