Is this the first time there have been human casualties in these attacks?

Yes, the three crew members killed on the ship Tihamah are the first confirmed casualties since the beginning of the Middle East conflict in late February 2026.

How do the attacks affect global trade?

Traffic through the key Bab al-Mandab Strait has fallen from an average of 50 to 32 ships per day, increasing insecurity and threatening disruptions to global supply chains.

World

Houthis Attack Cargo Ship in Bab al-Mandab

Q: Who are the Houthis and why are they attacking ships?

The Houthis are an Iran-backed armed group in Yemen that declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea last month, claiming it is a response to the Saudi siege of Yemen.

A.B. · Prije 15h | 3 min

The attack on the ship Tihamah is the first deadly incident since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict, with responsibility not yet officially claimed.

Summary

Three crew members were killed in an attack on the cargo ship Tihamah in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
The Houthis have not officially claimed responsibility, but Ambrey considers them responsible.
These are the first human casualties in attacks on ships since the escalation of the Middle East conflict.
Traffic through the key strait has fallen by more than a third, threatening global supply chains.

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A projectile struck a small cargo ship in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, killing three crew members. These are the first confirmed casualties in attacks on vessels since the Middle East conflict escalated in late February.

Two sources from the Yemeni coast guard and two military officials in the government confirmed the attack on the ship Tihamah, which sails under the Tanzanian flag. Although the Iran-backed Houthi armed group, which controls parts of Yemen, has not officially claimed responsibility, the British maritime security firm Ambrey stated that they are responsible for the damage to the vessel and the deaths of the crew.

Attack Details and Casualties

The ship was anchored just 3.3 nautical miles northeast of the Yemeni island of Perim when it was hit by an unknown projectile, according to the British Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). After the strike, the crew lost control of the ship, and the Yemeni coast guard came to their aid.

According to Yemeni sources, among the deceased are two Pakistani nationals and one person with Indonesian citizenship. The ship was sailing from the Omani city of Salalah to Djibouti, having departed from the Yemeni port of al Moka on Saturday before the attack.

Naval Blockade and Broader Context

Last month, the Houthis declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, in response to what they claim is a Saudi siege of Yemen. Riyadh rejects these accusations. This attack further raises already high tensions in the region, where a conflict broke out in late February with US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Interestingly, Ambrey notes that the ship Tihamah was not owned by Saudi Arabia nor operated by a Saudi company at the time of the attack. According to data from the company LSEG, the owner and manager of the ship is an Egyptian company, which, as Reuters reports, has not responded to requests for comment.

Growing Insecurity in a Key Shipping Lane

Attacks on ships in the Bab al-Mandab Strait have dramatically increased insecurity for shipping companies, which are already dealing with the consequences of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Data from the analytics group Kpler shows a drastic decline in traffic: last week, an average of 32 ships passed through Bab al-Mandab, compared to 50 per day before the blockade was imposed.

This reduction in flow through one of the world's most vital maritime passages threatens further disruptions to global supply chains, which could have indirect consequences for European, including Croatian, economies.