4 killed in Houthi attack on Red Sea cargo ship; US strikes vessel bound for Iran
Four crew members were killed after Iran-backed Houthi militants attacked a cargo ship in Yemen's Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Tuesday, according to Yemen's transport ministry, in what could be the first fatal Houthi strike on commercial shipping since the Iran war began on February 28.
The four crew members, three Pakistanis and one Indonesian were killed after the Egyptian-owned cargo ship Tihamah came under attack, the ministry said. Two rescuers from an anti-Houthi military group were also killed when the Houthis allegedly struck again after rescue teams reached the vessel, according to news agency Reuters.
Ten people, including seven crew members, two Coast Guard personnel and one member of the National Resistance Forces (NRF), were injured, Yemen's Coast Guard said.
The British maritime security company Ambrey said the incident occurred while the vessel was anchored northeast of Perim Island. UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also reported that a ship in the strait had been hit by an unknown projectile.
The Houthis later claimed they had attacked a ship carrying Saudi military equipment in the Bab el-Mandeb, although they did not identify the vessel by name.
The Houthis, who control large parts of northern Yemen and are backed by Iran and have previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb. Shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb and Red Sea has already fallen by more than 50% since an earlier wave of Houthi attacks between 2023 and 2025, the agency reported.
US strikes container ship in Gulf of Oman
Separately, the US military said it struck a container ship attempting to sail towards an Iranian port . US Central Command said it fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panama-flagged Vela Nova, disabling its steering gear after the vessel allegedly ignored repeated warnings to stop violating a US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The vessel was reportedly hit about 71 nautical miles (131 km) off Pakistan's coast, according to UK maritime risk management group Vanguard.
The latest incidents have further disrupted commercial shipping through the region's key maritime routes. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has also fallen sharply, with just six ships passing through on Monday, compared with a 10-day average of about 11 and prewar levels of around 130 to 140 vessels.
The four crew members, three Pakistanis and one Indonesian were killed after the Egyptian-owned cargo ship Tihamah came under attack, the ministry said. Two rescuers from an anti-Houthi military group were also killed when the Houthis allegedly struck again after rescue teams reached the vessel, according to news agency Reuters.
Ten people, including seven crew members, two Coast Guard personnel and one member of the National Resistance Forces (NRF), were injured, Yemen's Coast Guard said.
The British maritime security company Ambrey said the incident occurred while the vessel was anchored northeast of Perim Island. UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also reported that a ship in the strait had been hit by an unknown projectile.
The Houthis later claimed they had attacked a ship carrying Saudi military equipment in the Bab el-Mandeb, although they did not identify the vessel by name.
The Houthis, who control large parts of northern Yemen and are backed by Iran and have previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb. Shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb and Red Sea has already fallen by more than 50% since an earlier wave of Houthi attacks between 2023 and 2025, the agency reported.
US strikes container ship in Gulf of Oman
Separately, the US military said it struck a container ship attempting to sail towards an Iranian port . US Central Command said it fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panama-flagged Vela Nova, disabling its steering gear after the vessel allegedly ignored repeated warnings to stop violating a US naval blockade on Iranian ports.
The vessel was reportedly hit about 71 nautical miles (131 km) off Pakistan's coast, according to UK maritime risk management group Vanguard.
The latest incidents have further disrupted commercial shipping through the region's key maritime routes. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has also fallen sharply, with just six ships passing through on Monday, compared with a 10-day average of about 11 and prewar levels of around 130 to 140 vessels.
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