A Houthi missile strike on a commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait killed three crew members, according to reports from the Saudi channel Al-Hadath, which cited regional sources. The deceased crew members included two Pakistani citizens and one Indonesian national, according to the accounts.
The strike marks the latest in a series of Houthi attacks targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. The Iran-backed militant group has intensified operations against vessels in the strategic strait in recent months, enforcing what they describe as a naval blockade against Saudi-linked shipping.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, serving as a vital passage for global commerce between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
Open Source Intel added:
Yemen's Transport Ministry, run by the Houthis' opponents, confirms the Yemeni merchant ship Tihama was struck by a Houthi ballistic missile in the Bab al-Mandab area. Four crew members were killed by the impact -- three Pakistanis and one Indonesian. During efforts to rescue the remaining crew still aboard, the Houthis launched a second missile at the ship to prevent the rescue.
