Four crew killed in Red Sea cargo ship attack

The Yemeni government has announced that four crew members were killed in an attack on a small cargo ship in the Red Sea, an incident suspected to be the work of the Iran-backed Houthi movement. If confirmed, this would mark the first lethal Houthi attack on a vessel since the onset of military hostilities between the US, Israel, and Iran. The Yemeni Ministry of Transport stated that the ship was hit by three ballistic missiles south of the port of Al-Mukha, causing a fire. The victims were identified as three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian. The government described the vessel as a Yemeni commercial ship carrying food supplies. The Houthis, who began targeting shipping last month and declared a naval blockade of Saudi ports, have not claimed responsibility. The maritime risk firm Vanguard reported that the Yemeni navy was dispatched to assist the vessel but came under fire, resulting in three further injuries. Images of the damaged ship, verified by the BBC, identify it as the 'Tihama'. MarineTraffic tracking data places the vessel in the Red Sea near Warner Point. Vanguard stated the ship was sailing under a Tanzanian flag, while MarineTraffic lists its owner as an Egyptian company. While the Yemeni Ministry of Transport identified the Tihama as a Yemeni commercial vessel, previous reports from Iranian media described it as Saudi-linked. Images of the ship were released by the semi-official Mehr news agency; BBC analysis confirms the images are recent and show no signs of AI manipulation. The attack occurs amid ongoing regional conflict since late February, with a fragile ceasefire intended to lead to a peace agreement currently faltering. The Houthis have simultaneously targeted Saudi oil tankers and oil facilities, actions which, alongside Iran's threats to close the Strait of Hormuz, have heightened regional tensions. Approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the Strait of Hormuz. A multi-year ceasefire in Yemen's civil war between the Houthis and the internationally recognised government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, collapsed last month. The Houthis control much of north-west Yemen and remain in frequent conflict with the government, which operates from Aden due to the Houthi occupation of Sana'a. This report is based on BBC coverage with additional reporting by Gontche Habibizad.