At least six people have been killed and 10 others wounded after Yemen’s Houthi rebels allegedly carried out a double-tap missile strike on a commercial cargo vessel in the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait, according to Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Tuesday’s attack on the Egyptian-owned Tihamah marks the first reported shipping fatalities linked to the Iran-aligned Houthis since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran on February 28.

Yemen’s Transport Ministry said the Houthis initially fired three ballistic missiles at the commercial vessel, triggering a fire and causing significant damage.

Officials said three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national were among those killed in the initial attack.

Yemen’s coastguard said another missile was fired at the vessel while rescue teams were evacuating casualties.

According to the coastguard, the follow-up strike hit the area where the rescue operation was taking place, killing and injuring personnel involved in the emergency response.

“The attack struck the site of the rescue operation and resulted in deaths and injuries among the forces participating in the response operation,” the coastguard said.

The attack represents a significant escalation in Houthi operations against commercial shipping and raises fresh concerns about maritime security in the Bab al-Mandeb, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping routes.

The narrow waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a vital corridor for international trade between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.