Houthis announce resumption of Red Sea shipping attacks

The Houthis, designated as a terrorist organization by the US and operating from Yemen, announced via their official Telegram channel and spokesperson that they would resume attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Gulf of Aden in response to US-Israeli strikes on Iran. "In support of our brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran and in response to the criminal aggression of the US and Zionist entity, the Yemeni Armed Forces declare the resumption of military operations against all ships linked to the enemies of Islam in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and the Arabian Sea." Maersk confirmed it was pausing all Trans-Suez sailings and rerouting available vessels via the Cape of Good Hope. Other major carriers including CMA CGM and MSC were assessing their routes. The Bab el-Mandeb closure, combined with the Strait of Hormuz closure, has effectively bottled up oil and gas exports from the Persian Gulf entirely. Lloyd's of London declared a "war risk" zone covering the entire Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea — triggering insurance rate spikes. Houthi actions had previously disrupted approximately 15% of global trade during 2024–2025. The resumption of attacks following a period of relative calm significantly widens the conflict's economic impact. US 5th Fleet confirmed CENTCOM was "re-assessing Houthi threat posture" but no immediate strike operations against Yemen were announced.