Bab al-mandeb: Six people were killed and 10 injured on Tuesday when Yemen's Houthi group attacked a commercial vessel carrying food supplies in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemen's Coast Guard.

According to Anadolu Agency, the coast guard reported that 11 Pakistani and Indonesian sailors were rescued from the vessel. The attack resulted in the deaths of four crew members-three Pakistanis and one Indonesian-as well as two members of the Yemeni armed forces' 2nd Naval Brigade. Among the injured were seven crew members, two coast guard personnel, and one member of the 2nd Naval Brigade.

Earlier reports from Yemen's Transportation Ministry indicated that the Yemeni-flagged vessel Tihamah was struck three times by ballistic missiles while navigating the strategic waterway. This assault set the ship ablaze and caused significant material damage. The ministry also noted that Houthi forces launched an additional missile during rescue operations, aiming to disrupt the efforts and inflict further harm.

The ministry condemned the attack as a 'terrorist crime' with potential implications for the safety of maritime navigation and international trade. It expressed concerns about the escalating Houthi campaign targeting ports, civilian infrastructure, and commercial vessels serving government-controlled areas. The ministry warned that such assaults threaten the supply of food and consumer goods for millions of Yemenis across both government and Houthi-held territories.

There has been no immediate response from the Houthis regarding the attack. Bab al-Mandeb serves as a crucial gateway to the Red Sea, situated opposite the Arabian Peninsula from the Strait of Hormuz.