Deadly Houthi Red Sea Attack: 3 Crew Members Killed on Cargo Ship

Four crew members have reportedly died in a suspected attack by Iran-backed Houthis on the Egyptian-owned cargo vessel Tihamah in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday, while a container ship was simultaneously struck off Pakistan in an apparent US military strike, according to regional sources and maritime security reports.

Fatal Houthi Strike on the Tihamah in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait

The maritime conflict in the Middle East has escalated sharply. The deceased crew members include two Pakistanis and one Indonesian, who were aboard as the ship sailed from Salalah in Oman via Djibouti. Following the strike, the crew lost control of the vessel, prompting the Yemeni coastguard to approach it, sources added.

LSEG data indicates that Egyptian companies own and manage the ship, though neither responded to Reuters emails and phone calls seeking immediate comment. Meanwhile, Ambrey noted that the cargo vessel was not Saudi-owned or operated and had departed the Yemeni government-held port of al-Mokha on Saturday. The incident occurred while the ship was at anchor north-east of Perim Island, Yemen, according to the British maritime security group Ambrey. Furthermore, the ship was hit by an unknown projectile, a detail corroborated by a report received by the British navy affiliated agency UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

This attack unfolds against a backdrop of severely diminished regional traffic. Cargo transport across the Red Sea and through the Bab el-Mandeb strait has dropped by upwards of 50 per cent following a prior series of Houthi vessel assaults in 2023–25. Traffic has plummeted further following the Houthis’ declaration of a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea on July 20—instituted in response to what the group described as a Saudi siege—though Riyadh denies that Yemen is under siege. According to Kpler data, an average of just 32 ships per day passed through the strait last week, down sharply from an average of 50 before the blockade.

Container Ship Vela Nova Hit by Missile Off Pakistan Amid US Blockade

Thousands of miles away from the Red Sea theater, the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova was struck by a missile off the coast of Pakistan while sailing into the Gulf of Oman, maritime security sources told Reuters. According to The Wall Street Journal, an American helicopter targeted the vessel by launching a Hellfire missile at its rudder after the ship attempted to bypass an American blockade targeting Iran-associated commercial traffic in the zone. There was no immediate comment from US Central Command regarding the incident.

Should these reports be verified, this action marks the 12th ship engaged by American military personnel since the initiation of the blockade in April, and the third occurrence since authorities re-enacted the blockade on July 14. Maritime risk management group Vanguard and a security source indicated the ship was hit roughly 71 nautical miles off Pakistan’s coast. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also confirmed receiving a report regarding an incident involving a container ship and military forces in the area.

Severe Disruption Across Strategic Maritime Chokepoints

Clearing the Strait of Hormuz of Iranian sea mine threats will be a painstaking and challenging process. Yet, the physical hazards are only part of the crisis facing commercial mariners. Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is experiencing even steeper disruptions than the Red Sea, with just six vessels passing through on Monday. That figure represents a steep decline from a 10-day average of about 11 ships, and stands in stark contrast to prewar levels of roughly 130 to 140 daily transits.