Key Facts
- Vessels attacked
- 178 ships over two-year blockade
- Ships sunk
- 4
- Sailors killed
- 9
- UN Resolution
- Resolution 2722 adopted January 2024
- US–Houthi ceasefire
- Announced 6 May 2025
- Commercial rerouting
- Hundreds of vessels diverted around South Africa
Strategic Narrative Overview
Houthi strikes on shipping in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait forced hundreds of commercial vessels to reroute around South Africa, inflicting serious disruption to global trade. The UN Security Council passed Resolution 2722 in January 2024 condemning the attacks. The US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian was established to protect Red Sea shipping, and from January 2024 the US and UK conducted sustained air and missile strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, while Israel also launched independent retaliatory strikes.
01 / The Origins
Following the October 2023 outbreak of the Gaza war, the Houthis — an Iran-backed armed group controlling significant Red Sea coastal territory in Yemen since 2014 — began launching missiles and drones at Israel and attacking merchant vessels they claimed were linked to Israel. The group declared it would continue until Israel halted its Gaza campaign, framing the attacks as solidarity with Palestinians and drawing the conflict into a wider regional proxy confrontation.
03 / The Outcome
A bilateral US–Houthi ceasefire was announced on 6 May 2025, halting US strikes. Houthi attacks on international shipping and Israel paused after a Gaza peace plan took effect on 10 October 2025, prompting some major carriers such as Maersk to resume Red Sea routes. However, following US and Israeli attacks on Iran in early 2026, the Houthis threatened escalation and resumed attacks on Israel in March 2026, leaving the situation unresolved.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Yahya Saree.
Side B
3 belligerents
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.