Houthis strike ship in Bab al-Mandeb strait, killing three crew members
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Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed three crew members—two Pakistani and one Indonesian—in a ballistic missile attack on a ship in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, reports said on Wednesday. The strike occurred as Yemeni government forces struck Houthi positions in eastern Yemen in retaliation for missile and drone attacks on the city of Marib.
The Attack
A ballistic missile struck a commercial vessel in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, killing three crew members, The Times of Israel reported. Two of the dead were Pakistani nationals and one was Indonesian. The Houthis have not claimed the attack, but it follows a pattern of targeting maritime traffic in the strategic waterway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Counterstrikes
Yemeni government forces launched strikes against Houthi positions in eastern Yemen, Arab media reported, in response to earlier Houthi missile and drone attacks on the city of Marib. The tit-for-tat escalation highlights the intensifying conflict beyond the maritime domain. The Houthis had declared a naval blockade on July 20 against ships linked to Saudi Arabia, attacking several oil tankers.
Maritime Coalition
In response to the Houthi naval threats, Saudi Arabia and several other nations formed a maritime coalition to secure shipping in the Red Sea. The coalition has been conducting patrols, but the latest attack demonstrates the persistent risk. The Bab al-Mandeb strait is a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, and any disruption could affect energy markets.
What's Next
The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the rising tensions in the Red Sea in the coming days. It remains unclear whether the Houthis will escalate their blockade, further threatening global shipping and drawing deeper international involvement.
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Houthis strike ship in Bab al-Mandeb strait, killing three crew members
