Aden, Yemen – Yemeni military sources have confirmed the deaths of three crew members of a merchant vessel named “Tihama.” The ship was directly targeted by a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi group on Tuesday in the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. Moreover, the sources added that the Houthi attack occurred while coast guard forces were conducting rescue operations for the ship’s crew.
The ballistic missile, reportedly launched from Houthi positions in the eastern countryside of Taiz governorate, directly struck the merchant vessel. This attack killed three of its civilian crew members: two Pakistani sailors and one Indonesian sailor. Additionally, this terrorist attack comes amid escalating Houthi threats to commercial shipping and global supply chains in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Notably, the Bab al-Mandab Strait is a vital waterway for international trade.
Mutual escalation and extensive military operations on the fronts
On the ground, several Yemeni fronts witnessed a large-scale military escalation in recent hours. Houthi militias shelled neighborhoods in the city of Marib and the port city of Mocha, west of Taiz, with ballistic missiles and drones. As a result, a series of explosions occurred near vital installations. In response, Yemeni government forces retaliated decisively against these attacks. Armed Forces drones targeted Houthi positions and gatherings on several fronts east of Al-Jawf Governorate. Additionally, militia mortar systems and emplacements in the Al-Radhah Mountains of Marib were targeted. Government forces also shelled a Houthi camp on the Al-Alam front. This front falls under the Sixth Military Region.
The Yemeni presidency warns: Houthi escalation is a test of the international community’s seriousness.
Politically, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, commented on these developments during his meeting yesterday, Monday, with the ambassadors of the countries sponsoring the political process in Yemen. He affirmed that the recent escalation by the Houthi group represents a “new test” of the international community’s seriousness in protecting the prospects for peace. Furthermore, Al-Alimi stressed that the Yemeni government did not initiate the escalation and never sought it. He also emphasized that the state will not allow its commitment to the peace option to become an “open license” for the Houthis to choose the timing and location of attacks. He added that the Houthis cannot then demand that the legitimate government exercise restraint when responding. Consequently, this situation portends a new phase of military and political confrontation.
