Six Killed in Houthi Missile Attack on Cargo Ship off Yemen Coast

At least six people were killed and nine others wounded after Iran backed Houthi rebels launched three ballistic missiles at a cargo ship in the Bab el Mandeb Strait. The attack occurred Tuesday before dawn as the vessel was approaching port. According to Yemeni authorities, the casualties include three Pakistani crew members and two members of the government allied National Resistance Forces. The Jakarta Post reports that the vessel was the Tanzania flagged MV Tihamah.

Survivors described a scene of chaos and intense fire. One Indonesian crew member reported that a second missile struck the ship while rescue efforts for the initial strike were already underway. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry confirmed that two Indonesian crew members survived the attack, though one remains missing. The ministry is currently coordinating with Yemeni authorities for search and rescue updates.

The Houthis confirmed the attack, stating the ship was carrying Saudi military equipment. This incident follows a declared blockade by the Houthis on Saudi linked ships in retaliation for a Saudi siege on Yemen and attacks on the capital, Sanaa. The attack took place in a strait that accounts for roughly 12 percent of global trade and risks reigniting Yemen's civil war following a 2022 truce.

Outlets with a center lean framed the event as part of an escalating campaign of Houthi aggression against civilians and government forces. In contrast, the center left outlet focused on the diplomatic coordination regarding the missing Indonesian crewman and included the Houthi justification for the strike.