The internationally recognized Yemeni coast guard announced on 11/8 that the Houthi armed group's attack on the cargo ship Tihamah caused a fire and serious damage, killing three Pakistani citizens and one Indonesian.

The vessel was hit again while rescue workers were evacuating the crew, killing two rescue personnel. "The attack struck the location where rescue operations were underway, resulting in casualties among members of the response team," the Yemeni coast guard stated, adding that 10 people were injured in the attacks.

The Tihamah ship after being attacked on 11/8. *Photo: Yemen Ministry of Transport*

The Yemen Ministry of Transport had earlier accused Houthi of launching three ballistic missiles at the Tihamah ship in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. The agency declared that the armed group must "bear full responsibility for the deaths, injuries, and damage on the cargo ship Tihamah, as well as the serious consequences caused by these attacks."

The Yemeni armed group has not commented. Houthi's media outlet stated that its forces on 11/8 targeted a Saudi Arabian military equipment transport ship in the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

This is the latest attack on cargo ships in and around the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, since Houthi forces declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia last month. The incident also marks the first fatalities in Houthi attacks on vessels since the Middle East conflict erupted in late February.

The Saudi Arabian-led coalition intervened in Yemen's civil war in 2015 to counter Houthi. Most major clashes ceased after a ceasefire was achieved in 2022. However, the agreement collapsed after Houthi on 13/7 attacked an airport in Saudi Arabia and imposed a naval embargo on the oil-rich nation.

Location of the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb strait. *Graphic: Guardian*

The armed group stated the purpose of the attack was in retaliation for a previous Saudi Arabian strike on a Houthi-controlled airport. They added that the naval embargo was a response to Saudi Arabia's blockade campaign in Yemen, an accusation Riyadh has denied. The armed group has attacked Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea and also targeted oil infrastructure in that country.

Pham Giang (According to AFP, AP, Reuters)