Three Killed in Suspected Houthi Attack on Red Sea Cargo Ship

Three crew members were killed in a suspected Houthi attack on an Egyptian-owned cargo vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed a strike took place near the Yemeni city of Al Mokha, originating from an unknown projectile. Sources told Reuters the ship was a Tanzania-flagged small cargo ship, and the victims included two crew members from Pakistan and one from Indonesia. The Houthis had not claimed responsibility for the attack as of Tuesday morning.

This incident follows a Houthi declaration to blockade Saudi Arabian ships in the Red Sea, though the targeted vessel was not Saudi-owned or operated. The Houthis began blockading Saudi Arabian ships in July, aligning with Iran, which previously shut down the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis control territory near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical shipping route for Saudi oil tankers since the Strait of Hormuz closure. The Houthis and Saudi Arabia have exchanged strikes against airports and shipping ports since the blockade began.