Death toll rises to six after Houthi attack on Tihamah in Bab el-Mandeb

The death toll from a Houthi attack on the cargo ship Tihamah in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has risen to six, including four crew members and two Yemeni rescuers, according to Yemeni authorities.

The Egyptian-owned vessel was attacked on 11 August while at anchor northeast of Yemen’s Perim Island, according to British maritime security company Ambrey.

Yemen’s transport ministry said four crew members were killed in the attack. Pakistan’s foreign minister confirmed that three of the victims were Pakistani nationals, while Yemeni authorities identified the fourth as Indonesian.

Two Yemeni rescuers from the National Resistance Forces (NRF), an anti-Houthi military group, were also killed after the Houthis launched another strike following the arrival of rescue teams, according to Yemen’s Coast Guard.

Ten other people were injured, including seven crew members, two Coast Guard personnel and one NRF member.

Cargo ship attacked in Bab el-Mandeb, three crew reportedly killed

Houthis acknowledge Bab el-Mandeb attack

The Houthis subsequently confirmed carrying out an attack against a vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The group claimed that the targeted ship was transporting Saudi military equipment but did not identify the vessel by name.

Reuters identified the ship as Tihamah by matching the vessel’s deck and mast with archive imagery. Ship-tracking information also placed Tihamah in the area on 11 August, while Yemeni Coast Guard and military sources confirmed that a small cargo vessel had been attacked by the Houthis.

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) had earlier issued Warning 110-26 after receiving a report that a cargo vessel in the southern Red Sea had been struck by an unknown projectile, resulting in casualties.

According to Yemeni authorities, the crew lost control of Tihamah following the attack.

Ambrey said the vessel was not Saudi-owned or operated and had departed the Yemeni government-held port of Al Mokha before the incident. Shipping data cited by Reuters lists Egyptian companies as the vessel’s owner and manager.

First reported shipping deaths since start of Iran war

If confirmed, the four crew fatalities would represent the first deaths resulting from a Houthi attack on commercial shipping since the Iran war began on 28 February.

The Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea on 20 July, further increasing security risks for vessels operating through the Bab el-Mandeb and southern Red Sea.

Commercial shipping through the corridor had already fallen substantially following the previous wave of Houthi attacks between 2023 and 2025.

The latest attack, and particularly the reported second strike after rescue personnel arrived, adds to growing security concerns for commercial vessels and emergency responders operating in the region.

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