Houthi Attack Kills Six Near Bab al-Mandeb

The Yemen-based Houthi rebels intensified attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, with six people killed when a Tanzania-flagged vessel, the Tihamah, was struck and rescue teams were later hit, marking the first confirmed fatalities from Houthi strikes on shipping since the Iran war began. Yemeni authorities said four crew members and two rescue personnel died, as the strike followed earlier attacks on Mokha and other targets amid a broader Red Sea blockade and escalating Yemen-Saudi tensions. The Houthis claimed to have targeted a ship carrying Saudi military equipment, though no vessel name or official confirmation has been provided by Saudi authorities. In parallel, US forces have engaged vessels attempting to breach blockades, including a strike that disabled a Panama-flagged container ship, part of ongoing US-led efforts in the region. Maritime security notices (UKMTO) and reporting outlets say incidents involved unknown projectiles near Perim Island, underscoring the escalating risks to Red Sea shipping and global oil routes. The surge in attacks comes within the wider Iran-Israel-US conflict context, heightening regional volatility and raising the stakes for international energy transit through the Bab el-Mandeb and Gulf of Aden.