Yemen’s internationally recognised government has accused Iran-aligned Houthi forces of killing at least six people in a strike on the Egyptian-owned cargo vessel Tihamah in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Tuesday, 11 August. Yemen’s Transport Ministry said three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national among the crew were killed after ballistic missiles hit the ship, sparking a fire and causing significant damage. The crew reportedly lost control of the vessel after the attack.
Yemen’s Coast Guard said a second missile was fired as rescue personnel evacuated the dead and wounded, killing two members of the National Resistance Forces. Around ten people were wounded in total, including several crew. If confirmed in full, the casualties would be the first deaths in a Houthi strike on shipping since the wider Iran war began on 28 February. The Houthis had not issued a matching claim identifying Tihamah at the time of initial reporting; UKMTO separately logged an incident in which a ship in the strait was hit by an unknown projectile.
Traffic Already Collapsing Through the Strait
Shipping through Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea has already fallen by more than half since earlier Houthi campaigns, and volumes have tightened further since the group’s latest blockade declaration against Saudi-linked shipping. Market data cited across industry reports put average daily transits near 32 ships last week, down from around 50 before the blockade — a reminder that fatal attacks land on a corridor already operating well below normal.
The double-tap pattern alleged by Yemeni authorities — an initial strike followed by a second missile during rescue — raises the operational stakes for any vessel or shore unit responding to a casualty in Houthi-threatened waters. Masters and rescue coordinators face a harsher calculation about lingering near a burning or disabled ship.
What Operators Should Note
- Bab el-Mandeb and southern Red Sea remain a substantial-to-elevated threat zone for merchant shipping, including smaller general-cargo vessels.
- Nationality of ownership no longer guarantees lower risk; Egyptian-owned tonnage was hit in this case amid a wider campaign that has also targeted Saudi-linked ships.
- Rescue and abandonment drills should account for secondary-strike risk when coordinating assistance in the strait.
- UKMTO reporting and war-risk underwriter guidance for Bab el-Mandeb/Gulf of Aden approaches should be reviewed before every transit.
RegulAs Shipping extends condolences to the families of the dead and will report further verified details on vessel status, casualty figures and responsibility as they emerge.
