What happened
Three Pakistani nationals were among the crew killed when the Yemeni-flagged commercial vessel Tihamah was attacked by Houthi forces in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Wednesday, 12 August 2026, that he had ordered the repatriation of their remains.
According to Yemen’s Coast Guard, the Tihamah was struck three times by ballistic missiles on Tuesday while carrying food supplies, caught fire and sustained material damage, and another missile was fired as rescue teams tried to reach the crew. The dead included four crew members — three Pakistanis and one Indonesian — as well as two members of the Yemeni armed forces’ 2nd Naval Brigade, according to the coast guard. Eleven Pakistani and Indonesian sailors were rescued.
In a statement posted on X, Dar said Pakistan was in contact with the relevant Saudi authorities, as well as the internationally recognised Government of Yemen, to establish the circumstances of the attack. He said he had directed Pakistan’s embassy in Riyadh to coordinate immediately with the concerned authorities and to “strongly pursue all necessary measures” for the retrieval and repatriation of the remains, and to provide all possible assistance to the injured Pakistani national.
Dar “strongly condemned the Houthi attack on a non-combatant commercial vessel”, saying it endangered innocent lives and constituted a violation of international law. He said the attack posed a serious threat to freedom of navigation, maritime security and the safety of commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
Pakistan’s maritime commitment
At the Foreign Office’s weekly briefing on Wednesday, spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan was among the signatories to a joint statement backing a Saudi-led multinational maritime defence coalition and would implement its commitments “in full earnest”. He said Dar had directed the Foreign Office to ascertain the details of the agreement and Pakistan’s commitments under the framework, and that Islamabad was engaged with Saudi authorities.
Riyadh announced plans last month for the coalition, with 14 countries, including Pakistan, Türkiye and Egypt, backing the initiative. Shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb and the Red Sea has fallen by more than 50 percent after repeated attacks on shipping, and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has also dropped sharply. The attack came days after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, under which an armed attack on any one of the three is treated as an attack on all.
Diplomacy
Also on Wednesday, Dar met Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri Moghadam, who briefed him on progress under bilateral institutional mechanisms following recent high-level exchanges. Dar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening engagement with Iran and said dialogue and diplomacy remained the only effective means of addressing outstanding issues and achieving lasting peace and stability. Separately, Dar received Belarusian Energy Minister Dzenis Maroz, with the two sides pledging to expand cooperation in trade, industry, agriculture and connectivity.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details and the quoted remarks are as carried by the cited sources, which were reviewed on 12 August 2026.
- The Express Tribune — "DPM Dar condemns Houthi attack, orders repatriation of three Pakistanis' remains"12 August 2026 · The attack on the Tihamah, the casualties, Dar's condemnation and his meetings with the Iranian and Belarusian envoys.
- Pakistan Today — "Pakistan to implement maritime defence commitments 'in full earnest': FO"12 August 2026 · The Foreign Office briefing, the maritime coalition and the Makkah defence agreement.
