HRW: Recent Houthi Attacks on Commercial Vessels Constitute War Crimes

Human Rights Watch has declared that recent Houthi assaults on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, documented in at least three instances, rise to the level of war crimes. The organization emphasized that the deliberate or reckless targeting of civilian crews constitutes a grave violation of international laws of war.

These attacks followed a July 20, 2026, announcement by the Houthis of a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia, in response to what they described as a naval and air embargo imposed by the Kingdom on areas under their control in northwestern Yemen. These operations have impacted vessels flying the flags of various nations, including Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, and Dominica, thereby placing the lives of civilian sailors at significant risk.

Nicolette Jaafar, Yemen and Bahrain researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated that the Houthis are once again endangering civilian lives within the context of their conflict with the Saudi-led coalition. She affirmed that geopolitical considerations do not justify deliberate or reckless attacks on civilian crews, which are legally classified as war crimes necessitating accountability.

According to data from the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and ship tracking information, the Houthis have targeted at least nine vessels since their latest declaration. Among the most notable documented incidents is the attack on the vessel "Tahama," flying the Tanzanian flag in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which resulted in the deaths of six individuals, including four crew members and two Yemeni coast guards, with ten others injured. Despite Houthi claims that the vessel was carrying military equipment, the Yemeni Ministry of Transport confirmed it was a civilian commercial ship transporting food supplies.

The organization stresses that international humanitarian law mandates absolute protection for civilians and civilian objects, obligating parties to a conflict to verify the nature of military objectives and take all precautions to minimize collateral damage. Human Rights Watch pointed out that attacks that fail to observe the principle of proportionality between the presumed military advantage and civilian harm remain unlawful, urging the Houthis to cease all attacks on civilian vessels in vital waterways immediately and unconditionally.