Houthi Red Sea Attack Kills Crew Members on Cargo Ship

Iran-backed Houthi forces attacked a small cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on August 11, 2026, killing between three and six crew members according to varying reports from Yemeni authorities and maritime security sources. The incident marks the first reported fatalities in a Houthi strike on shipping since the start of the Iran war on February 28.

The targeted vessel, identified as the Tihamah, was hit by an unknown projectile while at anchor northeast of Perim Island, Yemen, according to the British maritime security group Ambrey. The ship is Tanzania-flagged and managed by Egyptian companies, according to Reuters and LSEG data. Ambrey noted that the vessel was not Saudi-owned or operated and had departed the Yemeni government-held port of al-Mokha on Saturday.

Yemeni government military officials and coast guard sources told Reuters that three crew members died in the attack, including two Pakistanis and one Indonesian. However, the CBC and the New York Times reported that Yemeni authorities stated six people were killed. The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the strike.

Following the projectile strike, the crew lost control of the Tihamah and were subsequently approached by the Yemeni coast guard, according to Yemeni sources cited by Reuters and ABC News Australia.

Maritime Blockades and Shipping Disruptions

The attack follows a July 20 declaration by the Houthis of a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. The group claimed the move was a response to a Saudi siege, a charge Riyadh denies, according to Reuters and ABC News Australia.

Shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb strait has declined significantly due to these hostilities. Kpler data shows an average of 32 ships passed through the strait last week, down from an average of 50 before the blockade was announced. This follows a broader decline of more than 50 percent in Red Sea traffic since an earlier wave of Houthi attacks between 2023 and 2025, according to ABC News Australia.

Disruptions are more severe in the Strait of Hormuz. Only six ships passed through the strait on Monday, compared to a 10-day average of 11 and prewar levels of 130 to 140 vessels, according to Reuters.

U.S. Missile Strike off Pakistan Coast

Simultaneous with the Red Sea incident, a Panama-flagged container ship named Vela Nova was struck by a missile off the coast of Pakistan while entering the Gulf of Oman, according to maritime security sources. The vessel was hit approximately 71 nautical miles off the coast, according to the UK maritime risk management group Vanguard.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a U.S. helicopter fired a Hellfire missile at the ship’s rudder after the vessel attempted to evade a U.S. blockade of Iran-linked shipping. If confirmed, this would be the 12th vessel attacked by U.S. forces since the blockade began in April and the third since its reimposition on July 14, according to the Wall Street Journal.

UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed it received a report of an incident involving a container ship and military forces. U.S. Central Command has not provided an immediate comment on the strike, according to ABC News Australia.