Mukalla, Yemen — Houthi rebels in Yemen have reportedly attacked and sunk a United Nations-flagged aid vessel carrying humanitarian supplies from Somalia, killing four crew members and detaining ten others. The incident occurred between July 7 and 8 in the Red Sea, drawing international condemnation and raising fresh concerns about the safety of humanitarian missions in the region.
According to multiple sources, the vessel—clearly marked as a non-military and non-commercial humanitarian ship—was “falsely targeted,” with no links to Israel or any party to the ongoing Gaza conflict. Despite this, the Houthis reportedly claimed the vessel was “hostile,” before opening fire and boarding the ship.
Human Rights Watch labeled the assault “a possible war crime,” stating that “targeting a humanitarian aid ship protected under international law violates the laws of armed conflict and basic human decency.”
The United Nations has not publicly confirmed the identities of the victims but stated it was “deeply alarmed” by the attack. Somalia’s government expressed shock and demanded the immediate release of the detained crew.
Global humanitarian and diplomatic bodies have urged the Houthis to release the captives and respect the neutrality of humanitarian operations. The incident marks a dangerous escalation in the militarization of the Red Sea, threatening vital aid lifelines across the Horn of Africa.