Two sources from the Yemeni Coast Guard and two government military officials stated on Tuesday that a cargo ship was attacked by the Houthis in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, resulting in the deaths of three crew members.
اضافة اعلان
Maritime security sources told Reuters that the cargo ship is believed to have been targeted in the Red Sea and that the fate of the remaining crew remains unknown.
Earlier, Yemen’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Afrah Al-Zouba, stated that the Houthis are seeking to emulate the Iranian model aimed at disrupting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and applying it to the Red Sea by disrupting shipping in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
She added, "This would lead to the closure of two major straits—the primary entry gateways to the Gulf and the Red Sea."
She noted that the Houthi group has been emboldened by what she described as a lack of sufficiently serious international response toward attacks targeting commercial shipping.
Al-Zouba stated that the Yemeni government is prepared for escalation, adding that firing is occurring along the frontlines extending across the country’s northwest—from the Red Sea to the Saudi border—though neither side has launched a major offensive yet.
She added, "We believe this conflict must end now, either through peaceful means or the other way."
Importance of the Strait
The Bab al-Mandab and Hormuz straits are among the most critical maritime choke points for global energy supplies, with approximately 10% to 12% of global seaborne trade passing through Bab al-Mandab annually.
