A merchant ship named Tihamah was struck off the southern coast of Yemen on Tuesday, August 12th, 2026, resulting in the reported deaths of several seafarers. The attack has heightened concerns about the stability of global trade routes amid the ongoing Iran-US war that has severely affected shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Arsenio Dominguez, head of the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO), expressed deep regret over the loss of innocent lives in what he described as an "indefensible attack on international shipping." He extended his condolences to the families of those affected and highlighted the troubling location of the attack in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region. Dominguez warned that such attacks escalate tensions and threaten the global supply chains relied upon worldwide.

The attack on the Tihamah, a deck cargo ship registered under the Tanzanian flag measuring 62.8 metres in length and 11 metres in width, has been attributed to Yemen’s Houthi fighters. This non-state armed group, also known as Ansar Allah and supported by Iran, has been engaged in conflict with Yemeni Government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition for over a decade.

The Houthis have previously threatened to blockade the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical shipping route to the Red Sea, and have targeted vessels in the Red Sea for several years. Their actions intensified following the outbreak of the Hamas-Israel war in October 2023, as part of their support for Palestinians in Gaza. On July 23rd, the group claimed responsibility for striking two Saudi oil tankers.

According to the UN agency’s tracker monitoring the Hormuz crisis, there have been 65 confirmed incidents and 17 seafarers killed since early March 2026, underscoring the ongoing risks to maritime security in the region.

Sources