Conflict & Security
Red Sea ship hit kills three, Yemeni coastguard source says
A cargo vessel near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait off Yemen was hit by an unknown projectile in the southern Red Sea, causing casualties, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said Tuesday.
A Yemeni coastguard source in the southern city of Mokha said the ship was struck by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, killing three crew members. The source said the rest of the crew were rescued.
AFP, citing another source, reported that the ship was also struck by a second projectile during the rescue operation. That account did not give a casualty number.
The incident came after a years-long truce in Yemen's civil war between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government collapsed last month. The Houthis have announced a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia and have hit Saudi tankers in the Red Sea and Saudi oil infrastructure, in parallel with Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
Update
A Yemeni coastguard source in Mokha said Houthi rebels struck the ship.
The coastguard source said three crew members were killed.
The coastguard source said the rest of the crew were rescued.
AFP reported, citing another source, that the ship was struck by a second projectile during the rescue operation.
Source note: AFP news report published on 11 August 2026 at 11:37:11 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
UKMTO reported casualties but did not give a number.
The reported Houthi responsibility and the figure of three crew deaths come from a Yemeni coastguard source and are not independently confirmed in the supplied material.
The casualty impact of the reported second projectile during the rescue operation is unclear.
Source
AFP news report published on .