Houthis Claim Strikes on Saudi-Linked Ship and Military Sites Amid Red Sea Tensions

DUBAI/SANAA, August 13, 2026 — Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has claimed a series of attacks on a cargo vessel and military positions as violence intensifies around the Bab Al-Mandab Strait and Yemen’s western coast.

The Egyptian-owned cargo ship Tihamah was struck near the strategic southern entrance to the Red Sea. Yemen’s internationally recognised government said four crew members—three Pakistanis and one Indonesian—were killed, while two Yemeni rescuers also died during the response operation.

Houthi authorities alleged that the vessel was transporting Saudi military equipment. That assertion had not been independently verified, and Saudi officials did not immediately comment on the claim.

The incident marked the first confirmed deaths in a Houthi attack on commercial shipping since the latest regional war began on February 28, according to Reuters. Ten other people were reported injured.

Claims of strikes on military positions

The Houthis separately said they used ballistic missiles and drones against what they described as Saudi military deployments, weapons depots and command centres in the Yemeni port city of Mocha and in Marib province.

Yemen’s government said the group launched 10 missiles and four drones in a new series of attacks on western coastal positions. Independent confirmation of individual targets and damage remained limited.

The latest claims followed earlier strikes on Mocha, where Yemeni authorities reported seven deaths, including soldiers and civilians, and damage to port infrastructure. The Houthis said Saudi personnel and equipment were among their intended targets.

Maritime risks rise around Bab Al-Mandab

The Bab Al-Mandab Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a critical route for trade between Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Attacks in or near the waterway have increased risks for crews, cargo owners and insurers and prompted some shipping companies to choose longer routes around southern Africa.

The Houthis announced what they called a maritime blockade of Saudi shipping in July and have since claimed attacks on multiple Saudi-linked vessels and energy facilities. Some incidents have been acknowledged by Saudi authorities, while others have not been independently confirmed.

Saudi oil exports from Red Sea terminals have increasingly been conducted with reduced public tracking visibility as operators respond to the threat environment, according to shipping data and industry reporting.

Escalation threatens wider regional stability

The renewed attacks risk reopening a major front in Yemen’s long-running conflict, which had been comparatively quieter following a 2022 truce. Fighting has intensified in recent weeks in Marib, Hadramout and along the Red Sea coast.

The escalation is also unfolding amid broader confrontation involving Iran, the United States and regional states, increasing concern that separate flashpoints in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Strait of Hormuz could become more closely connected.

Saudi Arabia has condemned attacks on civilians and commercial shipping and has sought wider international cooperation to protect Red Sea navigation. The United Nations and several governments have repeatedly called for attacks on merchant vessels to stop.

With casualty figures and responsibility claims emerging from opposing parties, details may change as official investigations and independent maritime assessments continue.

Editorial note: This report distinguishes verified casualty information from claims by parties to the conflict. Based on Reuters and other current reporting through August 13, 2026.