Pakistan condemns Houthi attack in Red Sea after Pakistani deaths and injuries

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 being 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 embassy in Riyadh to coordinate with the authorities concerned and “strongly pursue all necessary measures” for the retrieval and repatriation of the dead 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. Three different ships came under attack in the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman on Tuesday, taking simmering tensions in the world’s most key energy trading corridor up another notch. 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 targeted the vessel as rescue workers carried out a mission to evacuate the ship. Separately, a Houthi-linked media outlet later reported that the group’s armed forces targeted a ship in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait that it said was carrying Saudi military equipment. Meanwhile, the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova was struck by a missile in an attack off Pakistan while sailing into the Gulf of Oman, maritime security sources told Reuters. Tuesday’s strikes were the latest in a number of deadly attacks against ships in and around the entrance to the Red Sea since the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia last month. Last month, Pakistan had condemned the Houthis’ threats to Saudi Arabia and to trading with the kingdom via the Red Sea, warning that it had the right to self-defence if its “maritime interests” were targeted in “any hostile act”. It had later doubled down on its warning, describing any attack on its maritime interests as a “red line” and declaring that such a strike would be treated as an attack on the country. On July 30, Saudi Arabia also unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defence coalition to protect shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea region following a meeting of representatives from 43 countries. Fourteen participating countries, including Pakistan, issued a joint statement supporting the coalition and welcoming the consensus reached on its foundational arrangements.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar condemned on Wednesday the attack by 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.” He said, “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.” Follow for more

Attack on ship in Red Sea kills three Pakistani nationals, wounds another An attack on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea killed at least three Pakistani nationals and left another wounded, Islamabad's foreign minister said on Wednesday.  "Pakistan strongly condemns the Houthi attack on a non-combatant commercial vessel," Ishaq Dar said in a post on X. "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 added that Pakistan is closely following the situation and will remain in contact with relevant authorities. I have learnt with deep concern about the unfortunate incident involving an attack on a commercial vessel in the Red Sea. According to the information available so far, three Pakistani nationals have lost their lives and one has sustained injuries in the incident. We extend our… — Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) August 12, 2026