Overview
- The Tanzania-flagged cargo vessel Tihamah was struck in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Tuesday, killing four crew members including three Pakistani nationals and injuring others.
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the deaths on Wednesday and ordered Pakistan’s embassy in Riyadh to coordinate retrieval of the bodies and assistance for the injured.
- Regional reporting and officials attribute the strike to Iran-backed Houthi forces, which have stepped up attacks after declaring a maritime ban on Saudi-linked vessels.
- Pakistan’s foreign office condemned the attack as a violation of international law, said it supports freedom of navigation, and affirmed readiness to work with the Saudi-led maritime coalition.
- The incident raises risks for commercial shipping through the strategic Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint and could heighten military and diplomatic coordination following the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement signed on August 7.