Cargo vessel struck off Yemen's coast with deaths reported

A cargo vessel carrying three crew members was struck off Yemen's Red Sea coast near the port of Mokha, with casualties reported, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations. Authorities are currently investigating the incident. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency advised vessels in the area to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.

Reports indicated that the attack was carried out by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, but the fate of the crew remains unknown. Should the deaths be confirmed on the Tanzania-flagged Tihamah cargo ship, it would mark the first Houthi strike on a ship since the Iran conflict began in February and expanded across the region. The Houthis recently declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, claiming Saudi Arabia has besieged Yemen, a claim Riyadh denies.

The Houthis have not yet taken responsibility for the latest attack, which reportedly killed two Pakistanis and one Indonesian on the ship sailing from Salalah in Oman via Djibouti. The increase in attacks on ships in the Bab Al Mandeb strait has raised concerns for shipping companies already struggling after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with an average of 32 vessels per day passing through the Red Sea last week, according to Kpler data. Prior to the blockade, the daily average was 50.