Survivors Describe Chaos After Houthis’ Missile Strikes on Ship in Bab el‑Mandeb

Crew members of a Yemeni commercial vessel recalled chaotic, harrowing scenes after the ship was struck by multiple ballistic missiles in the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, killing six people and wounding at least nine others, Yemeni authorities said.

The attack occurred before dawn as the ship was approaching port near Mokha. Survivors reported that a second missile struck while initial rescue efforts were underway, worsening casualties and damage aboard the vessel.

Survivors’ Accounts

"People were burning ... it was a strange scene of doomsday," said Zaheer Ahmed, a Pakistani crew member being treated in Mokha for injuries to both legs. "I shouted for help and a Yemeni soldier came to my aid."

Pakistani crew member Zaheer Ahmed, right, receives medical treatment at 2 December Hospital in Mokha, Yemen, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, after the cargo ship Tihama was struck in a Houthi attack in the Bab al-Mandab Strait off Yemen's Dhubab district on Aug. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)(AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)

"The flames were so intense that I couldn't breathe," said Indonesian crewman Muhammad Alteno, who described trying to free a friend trapped in their shared cabin after the first strike. He said the friend did not survive.

All three crew members interviewed at a Mokha hospital described intense fires, panic and heavy structural damage after the pre‑dawn strikes.

Casualties and Local Impact

Yemeni authorities reported a total of six dead and at least nine wounded. Among the dead were two members of the government‑allied National Resistance Forces and three Pakistani crew members, officials said. The identities of the remaining victim(s) were not immediately released.

The Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, which links the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, handles roughly 12% of global trade, making attacks there a significant threat to international shipping and regional stability.

Pakistani crew member Muhammad Hamza receives medical treatment at 2 December Hospital in Mokha, Yemen, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, after the cargo ship Tihama was struck in a Houthi attack in the Bab al-Mandab Strait off Yemen's Dhubab district on Aug. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)(AP Photo/Abdulnasser Alseddik)

Wider Context

Yemeni military statements and officials said the attack was part of an escalating campaign by the Iran‑backed Houthi movement against government‑held areas, including Mokha. The Houthis have also stepped up attacks on troops and oil facilities in neighboring Saudi Arabia, a key backer of the Yemeni government.

The Houthis declared a blockade in recent weeks on vessels linked to Saudi Arabia transiting the Bab el‑Mandeb, calling the move retaliation for a yearslong Saudi siege of Yemen and recent strikes on the Houthi‑held capital, Sanaa. During a previous blockade related to the Gaza war, Houthi forces attacked more than 100 vessels before a U.S. and Israeli air campaign quelled those strikes in early 2025.

Analysts warn the recent attacks risk undermining a 2022 U.N.‑brokered truce and could widen the conflict in the region.

Reporting note: Details are based on statements from Yemeni authorities and interviews with survivors at a Mokha hospital.