Key facts
- A Houthi missile attack targeted a Yemeni commercial vessel.
- The attack occurred in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
- Six people were killed in the attack.
- At least nine people were injured.
- Survivors reported intense fires and panic.
- A second missile struck the vessel during rescue efforts.
- This is the Houthis' first deadly strike on a vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait this year.
Six crew members are dead and at least nine others are injured following a Houthi missile attack on a Yemeni commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Survivors described a scene of intense fires and widespread panic aboard the ship after the initial missile strike. The situation worsened when a second missile impacted the vessel during ongoing rescue efforts, further intensifying the chaos and danger for those aboard. This attack represents the first time this year that the Houthis have conducted a deadly strike against a ship transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical maritime chokepoint. The precise details of the vessel and the specific nature of the commercial activity it was engaged in were not immediately specified, but the attack highlights the continued threat to shipping in the region.