Six people have been killed and 10 injured in strikes by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis on a cargo ship in the Red Sea, the internationally recognised government of Yemen has said.
The transport ministry said the vessel was hit with three ballistic missiles, south of the port of Mocha, causing a fire on board and resulting in the deaths of four crew - three Pakistanis and one Indonesian.
Yemen's coastguard later said a second deadly missile strike targeted rescuers who tried to evacuate the ship.
The Houthis said they hit a ship carrying Saudi military equipment. It appears to be the first deadly attack by the group on a vessel since the US and Israel began striking Iran on 28 February.
The Houthis launched their attacks on shipping last month - announcing a naval blockade of Saudi ports.
The conflict in the region has been ongoing for more than five months, punctuated by a faltering ceasefire which was meant to lead to a deal to end the war.
It has whipped up regional tensions, with the Houthis also attacking Saudi tankers in the Red Sea and oil facilities, in parallel with Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz - the vital waterway where a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas used to transit.
The latest attack comes after a years-long truce in Yemen's civil war between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed, internationally recognised government collapsed last month.
The Houthis control much of north-western Yemen, and frequently clash with the government. The government operates out of Aden in the south, due to the capital Sanaa being held by the Houthis.
FULL REPORT AT: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg9wpmzmlno
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