Four killed after Houthis struck cargo ship in Bab el-Mandeb
Yemen's transport ministry says the Egyptian-owned ship Tihama was struck; three Pakistanis and one Indonesian were killed.
Four crew members were killed when Houthi forces struck a small cargo vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Yemen's Ministry of Transport said. The hit hit the Egyptian-owned ship Tihama, the ministry added.
Yemenese officials said three Pakistanis and one Indonesian died in the attack, and that the crew lost control of the vessel after it was struck. It remains unclear what weapon or munition hit the ship.
Shipping at risk in a strategic chokepoint
The ministry noted these are the first fatalities from Houthi attacks on ships since the start of the war in Iran on 28 February. The Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the strike.
Bab el-Mandeb links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a vital route for international trade; incidents there quickly raise concerns about wider disruptions to shipping and insurance costs for vessels transiting the area.
Authorities gave few further operational details, saying only that the small cargo vessel lost steering and control after being hit. Maritime security observers said confirmation of the weapon or platform used will likely require on-site inspection or imagery.
Photo: ДПА)
