Houthi Rebels Kill Six in Dual Attacks on Ship in Bab al-Mandab Strait

Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, attacked the cargo ship Tihamah in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, killing six people including four crew members and two rescuers. The incident occurred as the Egyptian-owned vessel was anchored northeast of Perim Island after departing from Al-Mokha port. Among the deceased crew were three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian, confirmed by Yemen's Transport Ministry and Pakistan's Foreign Ministry. The Houthis reportedly waited for rescue teams to arrive before launching a second attack, which also caused ten additional injuries, according to the coast guard.

In a separate incident in the Gulf of Oman, the U.S. military fired two Harpoon missiles at the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova after it ignored repeated warnings to cease violating the maritime blockade on Iranian ports. The strike damaged the ship's steering system. Charlie Brown, a senior advisor at United Against Nuclear Iran, highlighted the increased surveillance on vessels linked to Iran following the Vela Nova's recent docking in Mumbai.

These attacks illustrate the ongoing escalation in key shipping lanes, with maritime traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea dropping by over 50%, alongside a sharp decline in vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz.