Houthi Strike on Red Sea Cargo Ship Kills Four Crew Members
Four crew members, including three Pakistanis, died in a Houthi attack on a cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
A Houthi attack on a small cargo vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Tuesday has resulted in the deaths of four crew members, marking the first fatalities from such strikes since the conflict with Iran escalated in late February.
Yemen's transport ministry confirmed the deaths, stating that the victims included three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian. Pakistan officially acknowledged the loss of its citizens on Wednesday.
The vessel, identified as the Egyptian-owned Tihamah, was targeted near the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Houthi-run news agency Saba reported the group's claim of responsibility for the attack.
The Houthis have alleged that the ship was transporting Saudi military equipment, a claim that has not yet drawn a response from Saudi authorities.
This incident follows the Houthis' declaration on July 20 of a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, a move they say is a response to a Saudi-led siege on Yemen—an accusation Riyadh denies. Since that declaration, the group has intensified attacks on Saudi targets and on Yemeni regions controlled by the internationally recognized government.