Houthi Militia Disrupts Global Shipping: Red Sea Tensions Escalate

The Iran-aligned Houthi militia in Yemen launched military operations against two vessels in the Red Sea, employing drones, ballistic, and naval missiles. These attacks have disrupted global shipping routes, increasing costs and raising concerns about regional stability amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. The US and UK have responded with strikes against Houthi targets.

Yemen's Houthis launched two military operations targeting two vessels in the Red Sea, the Iran-aligned group's military spokesman Yahya Saree said on Friday.

The Houthi militia, which controls the most populous parts of Yemen, has staged attacks on ships in the waters off the country for months in solidarity with Palestinians fighting Israel in Gaza. The Elbella and AAL GENOA vessels were targeted with "a number of drones and ballistic and naval missiles", Saree said in a televised speech.

Saree did not specify the date on which the operations were carried out. Reuters did not receive any reports of incidents in the Red Sea on Friday. Months of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around Southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread and destabilise the wider Middle East.

The United States and Britain have carried out strikes against Houthi targets in response to the attacks on shipping.