Key facts
- Yemen's Houthi group fired ballistic missiles at the Bab al-Mandeb strait, killing at least six civilians.
- The attack on the Egyptian-owned cargo vessel Tihamah also resulted in 10 injuries.
- Three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national were among the initial fatalities.
- The Houthis claimed to have attacked Saudi-backed military build-ups and warships.
- The incident follows a Houthi announcement of a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia.
- The EU naval mission advised vessels linked to Israeli, US, or Saudi interests to avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Yemen's Houthi group fired ballistic missiles at the Bab al-Mandeb strait, killing at least six civilians and injuring 10. The attack on the Egyptian-owned cargo vessel Tihamah marks the first shipping deaths attributed to the Iran-aligned Houthis since the US-Israel war on Iran.
Yemen's Transport Ministry reported that three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national were killed in the initial strike, which caused significant damage and a fire aboard the ship. The Houthi-run news agency Saba claimed the group attacked a Saudi ship carrying military equipment, though Saudi Arabia has not yet responded. Yemen's coastguard stated that the Houthis fired another missile at the vessel while rescue personnel were evacuating the wounded and deceased, leading to additional casualties.
This escalation follows the collapse of a truce in Yemen's civil war and comes after the Houthis announced a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia. This announcement led at least seven oil tankers to alter course near Yemen, with maritime risk management company Vanguard noting the timing was consistent with the embargo. The European Union's naval mission, Aspides, has advised merchant vessels linked to Israeli, US, or Saudi interests to avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden due to the heightened threat level.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait is a critical maritime chokepoint, with nearly 15% of global seaborne trade passing through the Red Sea via this route. The US Navy's Joint Maritime Information Center has warned that the Houthis have completed preparations to attack shipping in the Red Sea, deploying missiles and drones near the strait.