At least three crew members were killed after a commercial ship was attacked in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group, Yemen's internationally recognised government said. Two Yemeni coast guard sources and two military officials from the government confirmed the deaths. According to Yemeni sources cited by Reuters, two Pakistanis and an Indonesian national were among those killed. Why Bab El-Mandeb Strait MattersThe Bab el-Mandeb, also known as the "Gate of Tears" because of its treacherous sailing conditions, has emerged as a key focus amid the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Kpler data showed that an average of 32 ships a day passed through the Bab el-Mandeb last week.