Six killed in suspected Houthi attack on ship near Bab al-Mandeb

At least six people were killed in a series of suspected Houthi attacks on a cargo vessel near the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait off Yemen's southern coast on Tuesday, marking a deadly escalation in the contested Red Sea waterway. The incident, which involved a second strike on rescue teams, occurred as regional tensions remained high amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States.

Yemen's coastguard reported that the Egyptian-owned cargo vessel Tihamah was first struck by three ballistic missiles while sailing through the strait, causing a fire and extensive damage. The initial attack killed four crew members: three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national. A second missile strike then targeted the vessel as Yemeni coastguard forces attempted an evacuation, killing two members of the rescue team and injuring others. The coastguard stated that a total of ten people were injured across the two attacks.

The Yemeni government's transport ministry, which initially reported a death toll of four, condemned the assault as a "terrorist crime" and held the Houthi forces fully responsible. The ministry noted the vessel was carrying food supplies and warned the attack...