Yemen’s internationally recognised government has accused the Houthi rebel group of killing at least six people and wounding 10 others in a double missile strike on the Egyptian-owned cargo ship Tihamah in the Bab al-Mandeb strait on Tuesday, August 12, 2026. According to Yemen’s Transport Ministry, three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national were among those killed after the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles at the vessel, sparking a fire and causing significant damage.

Yemen’s coastguard reported that the Houthis launched an additional missile at the ship while rescue personnel were evacuating the dead and wounded. This incident marks the first shipping deaths linked to the Iran-aligned Houthis since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28, 2026.

Separately, the US Central Command stated that a Navy helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles at the Panama-flagged cargo vessel Vela Nova, though it did not disclose if there were any casualties.

On the same day, Yemen’s government said the Houthis launched 10 missiles and four drones in a series of further attacks on sites along the country’s western coast.

This escalation highlights the growing dangers in the Red Sea region, which has increasingly become a conflict zone affecting maritime security.

Sources