Egyptian authorities on Thursday, August 13, 2026, forcefully denied media and social media reports linking Egypt to the Tihama, a commercial vessel targeted in a fatal Houthi attack off the coast of Yemen two days prior.
In an official statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Transport addressed claims alleging that the company operating the ship was based in Alexandria, clarifying that the vessel operates under the Tanzanian flag and is owned by a Yemeni national. The ministry further specified that the ship is operated by Blue Sea for Management Marine, an entity managed from its branch in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Cairo confirmed that the operating company holds no registration with Egyptian chambers of navigation and possesses no maritime agency license issued by Egypt’s maritime transport and logistics authorities. Furthermore, the ministry explicitly ruled out any operational ties to the country, noting that the Tihama has never docked in an Egyptian port, was not en route to an Egyptian destination, and was carrying no cargo owned by Egyptian entities or citizens. Authorities reiterated their commitment to monitoring regional maritime security across both the Mediterranean and Red Seas while urging media outlets to verify details with official government sources before reporting.
Parallel statements issued by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the August 11 attack, which occurred near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait. According to reports, the commercial vessel was struck by a projectile that ignited a fire on board, resulting in at least six deaths and injuring several crew members and emergency responders. Through these statements, Cairo reaffirmed its position on protecting international shipping safety while distancing its maritime sector completely from the targeted vessel.
AK/Sf/lb/abj/APA