Missile Attack on Yemeni Vessel in Bab al-Mandeb Kills Three Foreign Crew

Three foreign crew members aboard the Yemeni cargo vessel "Tahama" were killed after a mysterious missile struck the ship near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, south of the Red Sea, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations Agency.

Incident details

Coast Guard sources in Yemen's Al-Mokha governorate reported that Houthi forces launched a missile at the vessel off Bab al-Mandeb, killing two Pakistani sailors and one Indonesian crew member. The remaining crew were rescued by emergency teams.

A second source said a follow‑up missile hit the ship during rescue operations but caused no further casualties. Yemeni authorities have opened an investigation to identify the perpetrator and the weapon used.

Conflict backdrop

The attack marks an escalation in the ongoing clash between the Houthi movement and the internationally recognised Yemeni government, backed by Saudi Arabia and Iran within a regional military coalition. Since July, the Houthis announced a naval blockade against Saudi ports in response to what they call a Saudi blockade of their controlled areas, heightening tensions in both the Bab al-Mandeb and Hormuz straits.

Data from shipping analyst Kpler shows vessel traffic through Bab al-Mandeb fell to an average of 32 ships per day, down from 50 before the blockade, further straining global supply chains already impacted by the closure of the Hormuz Strait.

Amid these developments, Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif told Bloomberg that the United States and Iran are moving closer to a maritime de‑escalation agreement. Qatar’s foreign ministry also noted progress in Oman‑Iran talks on the future of Hormuz navigation.