Houthi militia has been regularly attacking ships in the Red Sea since the war between Israel and the radical Islamic Palestinian organization Hamas began in October. Many shipping companies are now avoiding the important maritime trade route, through which twelve percent of global maritime trade is normally carried out.
The Houthis see themselves as part of the “axis of resistance” directed against Israel and supported by Iran. In response to the Houthi attacks, the US and British armed forces are carrying out attacks on Islamist militias.