Pakistan condemns Houthi Red Sea attack after three nationals killed

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Ishaq Dar announced on Monday that three Pakistani nationals were killed in an attack on a ship in the Red Sea.

Writing on X, Dar said, "Pakistan strongly condemns the Houthi attack on a civilian commercial vessel," adding that such attacks are a violation of international law and pose a serious threat to freedom of navigation, maritime security, and shipping in the Red Sea.

The foreign minister added, "We are in contact with the relevant Saudi authorities as well as the internationally recognized government of Yemen to verify the details and circumstances of the incident." He said the Pakistani embassy in Riyadh has been instructed to coordinate immediately with the concerned authorities, take all necessary steps to recover and repatriate the bodies of the deceased Pakistanis, and provide all possible assistance to the injured Pakistani citizen.

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The Houthi militia claimed responsibility on Sunday for the attack targeting the Yemeni commercial vessel "Tuhama" in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, alleging the ship was transporting military equipment.

According to Al Arabiya, citing the Yemeni Coast Guard, the attack killed six people, including four crew members—three Pakistanis and one Indonesian sailor—as well as two members of the Yemeni Second Naval Brigade. Ten others were injured, including seven crew and three rescue personnel.

Earlier, Yemen’s Ministry of Transport confirmed the vessel was carrying a cargo of foodstuffs, warning that the attack posed a direct threat to the supply of food and essential goods for millions of Yemenis and endangered maritime security in Bab al-Mandab.