Shillong: Iran-backed Houthi rebels killed five people on Tuesday in a missile attack on a commercial vessel in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Yemen’s internationally recognised government confirmed the dead included four Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian. This represents the first time Houthi strikes on shipping have resulted in fatalities during this current conflict.
The rebels hit the ship with three ballistic missiles. This attack threatens a key oil transit route for Saudi Arabia as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. The Houthi military also targeted the government-held port city of Mokha and the central province of Marib with drones and missiles. Last week, strikes in Marib and the eastern province of Hadramout killed dozens of civilians and government troops. Another weekend assault on Mokha killed at least seven people, including three soldiers.
These attacks jeopardize a 2022 truce and expand the regional conflict. Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the Houthi chief negotiator, accused Saudi Arabia of using the ceasefire to maintain a blockade imposed in 2015. He stated, "The Houthis are open for negotiations but any settlement must include lifting the blockade."
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed his country had "astonished the whole world" in the war against the United States and Israel. Tehran continues to hold the Strait of Hormuz shut, citing US and Israeli attacks from Feb. 28. Energy prices remain volatile as the closure blocks a vital lane for global oil supplies.
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