Yemen and the Red Sea

Houthi missiles hit cargo ship Tihamah in Bab el-Mandeb, killing six

ATTACK
Location
Bab el-Mandeb strait (Tihamah attack area)
Actors
Houthis · Saudi Arabia · United States
Importance
Major

Yemen’s internationally recognised government said Houthi forces fired ballistic missiles at the Egyptian-owned cargo ship Tihamah in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, killing four crew members and two rescuers in a follow-on strike and wounding about 10 people. Open reporting described it as the first Houthi-linked shipping deaths since the US–Israel war on Iran began.

Al Jazeera, AP and Reuters reported the 11 August 2026 attack. Yemen’s Transport Ministry said three ballistic missiles started a fire and caused significant damage, killing three Pakistani crew and one Indonesian. The coast guard said a further missile hit during the rescue, killing two troops. Houthi-run Saba said the group had attacked a Saudi ship carrying military equipment and did not name Tihamah; there was no immediate official Houthi comment to Western wires. Saudi Arabia is listed as the seeded target/affected party; Egypt is not a seeded Red Sea actor.

  • Fatalities: Best 6 people · Confidence: Probable · Evidence: Six killed in Houthi attack on Bab al-Mandeb ship, Yemen’s government says, Four crew, two rescuers killed in Red Sea attack; US strikes ship in Gulf of Oman · Yemeni authorities: four crew and two rescuers. Early wires had a lower three-crew figure before the rescue-strike tally.
  • Injuries: Best 10 people · Confidence: Probable · Evidence: Six killed in Houthi attack on Bab al-Mandeb ship, Yemen’s government says, Four crew, two rescuers killed in Red Sea attack; US strikes ship in Gulf of Oman · Yemeni coast guard: about 10 wounded, including seven crew.

Verification: Confirmed

Evidence: Six killed in Houthi attack on Bab al-Mandeb ship, Yemen’s government says, Four crew, two rescuers killed in Red Sea attack; US strikes ship in Gulf of Oman

Confirmed multi-outlet coverage of the Yemeni government/coast-guard casualty report; the Houthi “Saudi military ship” characterisation is a party claim and is not treated as the vessel identity.