Key facts
- Three ballistic missiles fired by Houthi rebels struck a Yemeni commercial ship in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- The attack resulted in six deaths and at least nine injuries.
- Survivors described intense fire and chaos, with a second missile striking during initial rescue efforts.
- The incident is part of an escalating campaign by the Houthis and marks their first deadly attack on a vessel this year.
- The attacks risk reigniting Yemen's civil war and potentially opening a new front in the Middle East conflict.
Crew members of a Yemeni commercial ship recounted harrowing experiences following a deadly attack by Houthi rebels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Three ballistic missiles struck the vessel, resulting in six fatalities and at least nine injuries. Survivors described intense fire and chaos, with a second missile hitting the ship during initial rescue attempts.
Zaheer Ahmed, a Pakistani crew member recovering from leg injuries, described the scene as "a strange scene of doomsday" with people burning. Muhammad Alteno, an Indonesian crew member, spoke of his shock witnessing a friend die and the difficulty of escaping the intense flames.
The attack, which occurred before dawn on Tuesday, killed two members of Yemen’s government-allied National Resistance Forces and three Pakistani crew members. Yemeni authorities confirmed the casualty figures. This incident is part of an escalating campaign by the Houthis, who have also intensified attacks on neighboring Saudi Arabia.
The Houthis had previously declared a blockade on Saudi-linked ships in retaliation for a Saudi siege on Yemen. The recent attacks risk reigniting Yemen's civil war and could potentially open a new front in the broader Middle East conflict.