Pakistan condemns Houthi attack that killed three nationals in Red Sea

Three Pakistani nationals were killed and one was injured when Houthi rebels attacked a commercial vessel in the Red Sea, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed on Wednesday.

The attack is among the first to cause crew fatalities in Red Sea shipping since the Iran war began.

What happened in the Houthi Red Sea attack on the Pakistani crew?

The vessel was attacked in or near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Four crew members died in the attack on the small cargo ship, and two Yemeni rescuers from an anti-Houthi military group were also killed, according to Yemen's coast guard. The Egyptian-owned vessel, named Tihamah, lost power after the strike and was subsequently approached by Yemeni coastguard personnel.

Dar said Pakistan strongly condemned the Houthi attack on a non-combatant commercial vessel. He said such attacks endanger innocent lives, violate international law, and pose a serious threat to freedom of navigation and the safety of commercial shipping in the Red Sea. He added that he was in contact with Saudi authorities and the internationally recognized Government of Yemen to gather further details.

Why are the Houthis attacking ships in the Red Sea?

The Houthis, backed by Iran, declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia last month and have since targeted Saudi-linked vessels in the Red Sea. They said the vessel attacked this week was carrying Saudi military equipment through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The group's maritime operations have intensified as the broader Iran war continues, with Iran keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed and Red Sea routes carrying growing volumes of rerouted global shipping.

The attacks unfolded alongside a parallel US strike in the Gulf of Oman, where a US Navy MH-60 helicopter fired two Hellfire missiles to disable the steering gear of a Panama-flagged cargo ship that ignored warnings against violating a US blockade on Iranian ports. Oil prices climbed and global shares fell as investors assessed the renewed disruption to two of the world's most critical shipping corridors.

What steps is Pakistan taking after the Red Sea attack?

Pakistan directed its embassy in Riyadh to coordinate with relevant authorities and pursue all necessary measures for the repatriation of the bodies of the three deceased Pakistani nationals. Dar said the embassy had been instructed to follow through on all necessary steps. Pakistan's condemnation of the attack reflects the country's position that such strikes against civilian commercial shipping must stop.