During the past week, Houthi forces have escalated their campaign against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. In one week, they killed a merchant mariner, sank a commercial ship, and made another crew abandon their vessel. The Houthis attacked MV Verbena and MV Tutor, which caused fires and flooding. Eventually, the Tutor sank while Verbena's crew abandoned their ship due to fires they couldn't control. Aircraft from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, along with another commercial ship, did arrive to provide some support.

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The maritime traffic is taking a beating from these attacks as some statistics have it that there was almost an 80% decline in dry bulk carriers through the Suez this June compared to last year. The continued threat from Houthis increases insurance costs because of routing changes; some companies opt to go around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid dangerous waters. US Central Command has continued to target Houthis' weaponry and degrade their capacity to target shipping routes alongside international partners.

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Despite American efforts to contain the Houthi threat, the group has continued to attack armed with supplies from Tehran. A situation that was not only disrupting commercial shipping but also delaying humanitarian aid deliveries. What began as a Houthi response to Israeli actions in Gaza expanded into a threat to international shipping more broadly, both underlining how challenging and enduring the maritime security challenge remains in this region.

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Source: Houthi Attacks Causing More Damage in the Red Sea, Merchant Traffic Through Suez Canal Down More than 50%

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