ToplineThree people were killed after a Houthi strike on a cargo ship in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Reuters reported citing sources in Yemen—marking the first deaths in a Red Sea strike from the militant group since it began blockading Saudi Arabian ships as part of the wider conflict between Iran and the U.S.Vessels transit the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on July 25, where Tuesday's attack reportedly took place.AFP via Getty ImagesKey FactsThe UK Maritime Trade Operations confirmed a strike took place near the Yemeni city of Al Mokha on Tuesday, coming from an “unknown projectile” and causing an unknown number of casualties.Sources told Reuters the ship was a Tanzania-flagged small cargo ship, and the victims included two crew members from Pakistan and one from Indonesia.The Houthis have not taken credit for the attack as of Tuesday morning.The militant group previously declared it would blockade Saudi Arabian ships traveling in the Red Sea, and the ship targeted on Tuesday was not owned or operated by Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported citing maritime shipping data.Key BackgroundThe Houthis began blockading Saudi Arabian ships in the Red Sea in July. The Yemeni militant group is closely aligned with Iran, who shut down the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against the country on February 28. The Houthis control territory near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the narrow waterway between Yemen and Africa, that has become a crucial shipping route for Saudi oil tankers since the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis and Saudi Arabia, who are a U.S. ally, have since exchanged strikes against airports and shipping ports since the declared blockade began.TangentThe Strait of Hormuz shutdown severely impacted shipping in the region and drove up oil prices. The U.S. and Iran are still negotiating a tense deal to reopen the Strait, although the status of those negotiations is unclear after both Iran and U.S. President Donald Trump demanded reparations for damages sustained during the war. Trump even went as far as suggesting repayment for soldiers killed or wounded in wars and attacks over the last 50 years, and even suggesting they pay for the damages to “the people of Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza!”Further ReadingForbesCould Bab Al-Mandeb Be The Next Strait Of Hormuz? Ships Begin Turning Around In Red SeaBy Zachary FolkForbesOil Nears $100 As Iran-Backed Houthis Target Red Sea ShippingBy Siladitya Ray