Crew of Yemeni vessel recount their chaotic rescue after Houthis’ deadly attack

Three missiles launched by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait struck a Yemeni cargo ship on August 10, 2026, near the Dhubab district. The attack resulted in the deaths of six crew members and left at least nine others injured, according to Yemeni authorities. The incident marked the first deadly assault on a vessel navigating the strategic waterway, which serves as a crucial conduit for roughly 12% of global trade.

The ship's crew members recounted the harrowing ordeal, with many describing scenes of intense fire, panic, and destruction. One Indonesian crew member, Zaheer Ahmed, recounted a surreal scene of "doomsday" as he received medical treatment at a hospital in Mokha. Another crew member, Muhammad Alteno, said he lost a friend during the attack and tried to rescue him, but the flames were too intense to breathe. All interviewed crew members expressed shock and trauma in the wake of the deadly assault.