Human Rights Watch says recent Houthi strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden may amount to war crimes, after attacks on at least two Saudi-flagged, one Tanzania-flagged and one Dominica-flagged ship. HRW notes the Houthis declared a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia on July 20 and have claimed responsibility for multiple attacks, while authorities have confirmed four. The NGO says evidence suggests several targeted ships were civilian commercial vessels and urges the Houthis to stop unlawful attacks and follow international humanitarian law.
HRW Warns: Houthi Attacks On Commercial Ships In Red Sea Could Constitute War Crimes
An armed student participates in a rally July 22 supporting the Houthi-imposed naval embargo against Saudi Arabia in Sana'a, Yemen. On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch said recent Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden could constitute war crimes. Photo by Yahya Arhab/EPA
Sept. 15 — Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned Tuesday that recent Houthi strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden may amount to war crimes, saying the attacks put civilian seafarers at serious risk.
What Happened
The international NGO reported that the latest incidents struck at least two Saudi-flagged vessels, one Tanzania-flagged ship and one Dominica-flagged vessel. The Houthi movement announced a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia on July 20, saying it was responding to what it describes as a Saudi sea and air blockade of Yemen. HRW says the strikes are part of that campaign.
Confirmed Targets and Claims
As of Aug. 24, the Houthis claimed they had targeted at least nine ships since the embargo began. Authorities have independently confirmed four attacks on vessels named Encelia, Daisy, Tihamah and Amzan. The Houthis acknowledged that only the attack on the Tihamah was said to have a military objective, claiming it was carrying Saudi military equipment; HRW said it could not verify that claim.
"The Houthis are once again putting seafarers' lives at deadly risk through their attacks on commercial ships, this time as part of their hostilities with the Saudi-led coalition," said Niku Jafarnia, a HRW researcher on Yemen and Bahrain. "Whatever the geopolitics, attacks on civilian crews carried out deliberately or recklessly are war crimes."
Humanitarian And Legal Concerns
HRW said available evidence indicates the Houthis knew or should have known that at least the Encelia, Daisy and Amzan were commercial vessels carrying civilians. Under international humanitarian law, parties to a conflict must do everything feasible to verify that an intended target is a legitimate military objective and must take precautions to minimize civilian harm.
United Nations officials reported that more than 76,000 people in Yemen have been displaced as fighting intensified along the country’s southwestern coast, where Iran-backed Houthi forces and government forces backed by Saudi Arabia and the United States are clashing. Analysts say the violence has escalated amid broader regional tensions affecting key shipping lanes.
HRW's Call
HRW reiterated that repeated attacks on commercial shipping — which the group says have occurred in the Red Sea since November 2023 — are unlawful if carried out deliberately or recklessly against civilian crews. The organization urged the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally end unlawful attacks on civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Context: The incidents underline growing risks to international maritime traffic and civilian lives as regional actors contest strategic waterways.
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