Pakistan condemns Houthi attack in Red Sea that claimed lives of 3 nationals

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday condemned the attack by Yemen’s Houthis on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea that claimed the lives of three Pakistanis and said Islamabad was in contact with the relevant authorities to ascertain further details. The attack targeted a Tanzania-flagged vessel Tihamah, causing deaths and injuries among its crew. Apart from three Pakistanis, an Indonesian was also killed in the attack. Dar said in a post on X that he had also received reports of a Pakistani getting injured in the attack. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families,” he said, adding: “Pakistan strongly condemns the Houthi attack on a non-combatant commercial vessel.”

“Such attacks endanger innocent lives, constitute a violation of international law, and pose a serious threat to freedom of navigation, maritime security, and the safety of commercial shipping in the Red Sea,” he said. “We are in contact with the relevant Saudi authorities, as well as the internationally recognised government of Yemen, to ascertain further details of the incident and the circumstances surrounding it,” he added. Dar said he had directed the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh to immediately coordinate with the concerned authorities and “strongly pursue all necessary measures” for the retrieval and repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased Pakistani nationals and for the provision of all possible assistance to the injured Pakistani national. “We are closely following the situation and will continue to remain in close contact with the concerned authorities,” he added. The incident came as three ships came under attack in the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman on Tuesday, amid heightened tensions in the key maritime corridor. Yemen’s coastguard said the initial strike on the Tihamah caused a fire and extensive damage to the vessel, killing four sailors, including three Pakistanis and an Indonesian. A second strike hit a rescue operation mounted to evacuate the vessel, killing two members of the response team and injuring several others. In a separate incident on Tuesday night, the Saba news agency reported that the Houthis attacked a Saudi ship carrying military equipment in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. However, there was no immediate confirmation from Riyadh. Separately, the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova was struck by a missile off the coast of Pakistan while sailing towards the Gulf of Oman, maritime security sources told Reuters. The incidents were the latest in a series of deadly attacks on ships in and around the entrance to the Red Sea since the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia last month.