Houthis kill at least 16 government troops near Hodeidah as cargo ship reports Red Sea attack, UK says

Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed at least 16 government-aligned troops in fighting south of the Houthi-held port city of Hodeidah, according to medics quoted by international reporting, as a separate incident in the Red Sea highlighted continued security risks for commercial shipping. The two incidents were reported in the same general area of Yemen’s western coastline, which remains a focal point of the conflict between the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

In the attack on land, two medical officials told AFP that hospitals in the area received 16 dead and 22 wounded pro-government forces following an assault reported south of Hodeidah, as officials and witnesses assessed damage and casualties. Other reporting also described the toll as 14 troops killed, suggesting details were still being reconciled as information moved from the front lines to medical facilities.

The Red Sea incident involved a cargo ship that reported being attacked, the UK Maritime Trade Operations center said, according to the British military. The notification placed the attack 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeida, where the Houthi movement controls key areas. UKMTO said the ship reported being “under attack by unknown armed assailants,” without an immediate claim of responsibility.

UKMTO described an approach by a skiff that opened fire on the bulk carrier, prompting security guards to return fire. After the exchange, the skiff withdrew and the smaller craft reportedly sailed away about 2 nautical miles toward the larger ship, with the vessel’s automatic identification system switched off. The cargo ship and crew were reported safe, and British authorities said they were investigating the incident.

CBS News reported that no group immediately claimed the maritime attack. The Houthis have publicly threatened to resume attacks on ships, and international shipping has faced repeated disruptions in the region in recent years as the conflict has spilled into sea lanes near the Bab al-Mandab strait, a chokepoint at the southern end of the Red Sea.

Both the land fighting and the reported maritime incident underline the difficulty of maintaining safety in a contested corridor that affects civilian livelihoods and international logistics. Hodeidah’s status and the proximity of naval routes to areas controlled by the Houthis have repeatedly shaped how shipping companies plan transit, including whether vessels choose alternative routes to reduce exposure to attack threats.

Officials did not provide additional details on the cargo ship’s identity, the type of weaponry used, or the intended target in the Red Sea report. For the ground casualties, medical officials’ accounts indicated the immediate human toll, while further details about the broader operation, units involved, and the timeline of the fighting were not fully established in the initial reporting.