Yemeni Ship Crew Describes Chaos as Houthi Missiles Claim Six Lives in Bab El-Mandeb Attack

MOKHA, Yemen: Crew members of a Yemeni commercial ship who survived a deadly attack by Houthi rebels earlier this week recounted harrowing scenes of chaos and destruction, saying a second missile struck the vessel just as rescue teams were responding to the initial blast, escalating the already dire situation.
In total, three ballistic missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthis hit the ship in the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, near Yemen’s coast, as the vessel approached port, killing six individuals and injuring at least nine others, according to Yemeni officials.
This attack marks a significant escalation in Houthi hostilities and represents the deadliest strike this year against a ship transiting the strategic waterway, which links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and handles approximately 12 percent of global maritime trade.
“People were burning… it was a strange scene of doomsday,” said Zaheer Ahmed, a Pakistani crew member receiving treatment at a hospital in the port city of Mokha.
“I shouted for help and a Yemeni soldier came to my aid,” Ahmed said, adding that he sustained injuries to both legs.

All three crew members interviewed by The Associated Press at the hospital on Wednesday described scenes of intense fire, widespread panic, and severe damage aboard the ship, which was struck before dawn on Tuesday.
Muhammad Alteno, an Indonesian crew member, recalled being in “complete shock” after witnessing the death of a fellow Indonesian colleague during the attack. He said he attempted to save his friend, who was trapped in their shared cabin following the first missile strike.
“But the flames were so intense that I couldn’t breathe,” Alteno said. “I managed to escape with some of the (other) crew members.”
The attack also claimed the lives of two members of Yemen’s government-aligned National Resistance Forces, along with three crew members from Pakistan.
According to the Yemeni military, this incident is part of a broader surge in Houthi attacks targeting government forces and civilians in recent weeks, particularly in the government-held city of Mokha and surrounding areas. The Houthis have additionally intensified cross-border operations, including raids on military positions and energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
These developments raise concerns about a potential resurgence of large-scale conflict in Yemen, undermining the fragile peace established by a UN-mediated truce in 2022. The situation could further destabilize regional security amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
The Houthis recently imposed a blockade on Saudi-aligned vessels navigating the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, citing retaliation for Saudi Arabia’s prolonged embargo on Yemen and recent strikes on the Houthi stronghold of Sanaa.
During a previous blockade enforced during the Gaza conflict, the Houthis targeted over 100 commercial ships before a coordinated air campaign by the United States and Israel curtailed their operations in early 2025.

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