Three individuals were reportedly killed in a Houthi attack on a cargo ship in the Red Sea, marking the first deadly strike by the group since the United States and Israel began their conflict with Iran. The vessel was struck by a projectile south of the Yemeni port of Mocha, according to the UK's Maritime Trade Operations Centre.
The Houthis, an Iran-allied group, initiated attacks on shipping lanes last month, including a naval blockade of Saudi ports. This latest incident occurs as regional tensions remain high, compounded by a years-long truce in Yemen's civil war that collapsed last month.
Social media images, verified by BBC Verify, appear to show damage to the cargo ship, identified as the Tihamah, sailing under the flag of Tanzania. Reports from Yemeni media indicate that two of the deceased were crew members, one Pakistani and one Indonesian. A Yemeni government vessel responding to the incident also came under fire, resulting in an additional casualty.
The attacks by the Houthis are seen as part of a broader regional escalation, occurring in parallel with actions such as Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict in Yemen, ongoing since the end of February, has been punctuated by a faltering ceasefire aimed at achieving a peace deal.