Houthi forces have intensified maritime assaults in the Red Sea and widened their target scope beyond Saudi-linked oil tankers. A general cargo vessel was hit by successive missile strikes in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on August 11 local time, leaving six people dead. This marks the first publicly confirmed fatalities from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea since the full escalation of the Middle East conflict in February 2026, signalling a graver phase of shipping security risks in the waterway.

In an official statement, Yemen’s Ministry of Transport confirmed that the commercial vessel Tihamah was struck by Houthi missiles while transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait en route to a Yemeni coastal port with food supplies on board. The impact ignited a fire in the ship’s compartments, killing four crew members — three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national.

As Yemeni Coast Guard teams deployed to the scene for crew rescue and vessel salvage operations, the stricken ship came under a second missile attack by Houthi forces, killing two Yemeni military personnel on duty. The two rounds of strikes resulted in a total death toll of six.

While Yemen’s transport ministry classified the Tihamah as a “Yemeni commercial ship”, public registration records show the vessel is owned by Egyptian shipping firm Thubab for Marine Services, operates under the Tanzanian flag of convenience, and was constructed at a domestic shipyard in 2024.

Houthi military authorities issued a statement the same day claiming responsibility for what they called a “precision strike” on the vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, alleging the ship was carrying “Saudi military equipment”.

Citing “carriage of military supplies” as justification, Houthi forces have been progressively relaxing their criteria for targeting. Starting with Israel-linked vessels, then Saudi-flagged oil tankers, and now general cargo ships flying third-country flags facing unilateral military-related accusations, the expanding attack scope coincides with a new round of ground clashes in Yemen between Houthi fighters and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has also verified the incident.

The deadly assault is the first publicly confirmed loss of life caused by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea since the regional conflict escalated in February 2026.

On July 20, Yemen’s Houthi movement announced an immediate maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia. Following the declaration, multiple oil tankers scheduled to call at Saudi ports made ad-hoc route adjustments. On July 22, tensions escalated rapidly within 24 hours as the Houthis formally launched military strikes against Saudi-linked tankers ENCELIA and LAYLA for violating the blockade, marking the entry of the Saudi maritime blockade into an armed enforcement phase.

On August 4, the Indian-flagged cargo ship FAIZE NOORE OLIYA was hit by explosive devices in the Red Sea south of Hodeidah and eventually capsized and sank. On August 5, Houthi forces used ballistic missiles to strike Saudi-flagged tankers Daisy and Wafa with precision, continuing their days-long campaign against Saudi tankers while broadening their target range.