The Red Sea Shipping Crisis

Houthi forces in Yemen begin launching missiles and drones toward Israel and declare their support for Hamas in the Gaza war, opening what becomes a sustained campaign in the Red Sea region. The movement's leadership frames the attacks as solidarity with Gaza and a response to Israel's military operation. Over the following weeks, the campaign expands from long-range missile launches toward Israel to a direct threat against commercial vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb strait, one of the world's most important shipping chokepoints.

Location: Red Sea, Yemen

Houthi commandos land a helicopter on the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier transiting the southern Red Sea, and seize the ship, diverting it to the port of Hodeidah. The Houthis state that the vessel is Israeli-owned; the ship is owned by a company linked to an Israeli businessman and operated by a Japanese firm. The hijacking, the first seizure of a commercial ship in the campaign, galvanizes international concern about the safety of Red Sea shipping and marks the start of the movement's ship-targeting phase.

Location: Southern Red Sea

Major container lines and cargo owners begin diverting vessels away from the Red Sea and around the Cape of Good Hope, adding thousands of miles and roughly ten to fourteen days to journeys between Asia and Europe. The rerouting decision follows Houthi attacks on merchant ships and warnings to operators with Israeli links. Freight rates and war-risk insurance premiums rise sharply, and the diversions reduce traffic through the Suez Canal, which normally carries a significant share of global container trade.

Location: Red Sea and Cape of Good Hope

The United States announces Operation Prosperity Guardian, a multinational mission of some ten nations to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb strait, and Gulf of Aden. The coalition is formed after repeated Houthi attacks on merchant vessels and mounting pressure on shipping companies to avoid the area. Days earlier, other naval missions, including India's Operation Sankalp, had begun escorting or monitoring traffic in the region. The new mission marks a shift from ship-specific escorts to a standing collective defense of the sea lanes.

Location: Red Sea

The United States and United Kingdom launch air and missile strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen, including radar systems, drone and missile sites, and weapons storage facilities, in response to continued attacks on international shipping. The strikes, carried out with support from allied nations, mark the first direct Western military action against the Houthis in the campaign. The Houthis respond by vowing to continue attacks on Israel-linked shipping and by firing on coalition warships.

Location: Yemen

The European Union formally launches Operation Aspides, a naval mission to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab el-Mandeb strait and to defend vessels under attack. The operation, under EU command, gives European warships a defensive mandate distinct from the US-led Prosperity Guardian coalition. It is established as Houthi attacks continue despite months of coalition patrols and strikes, and as European shipowners and insurers demand protection for EU-connected trade routes.

Location: Red Sea

The United States intensifies its air campaign against Houthi targets in Yemen, conducting a sustained series of strikes through March and May 2025 aimed at degrading the movement's missile, drone, and radar capabilities. The escalation follows renewed Houthi attacks on shipping and on US warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The campaign imposes significant costs on the Houthis but does not fully stop their operations, and the movement's leadership frames its persistence as a continuing act of solidarity with Gaza.

Location: Yemen

The United States and the Houthis reach a ceasefire brokered by Oman, under which the movement agrees to stop attacking US vessels in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb strait in exchange for a halt to American strikes. The deal ends the most intense phase of the US air campaign and is announced amid mediation efforts led by Omani officials. Houthi leaders state that the agreement does not affect their position on Israel or on attacks linked to the Gaza war, leaving the broader shipping threat unresolved.

Location: Muscat, Oman

Houthi forces halt their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as the Gaza peace plan takes effect, ending a campaign that had lasted roughly two years and disrupted global maritime trade. The suspension follows the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and removes, at least temporarily, the threat that had driven most commercial traffic away from the Suez route. Shipping lines begin assessing when and whether to resume Red Sea transits, with insurers and operators still cautious about residual risk.

Location: Sanaa, Yemen

Houthi forces resume missile and drone attacks against Israel and shipping in the Red Sea region as war breaks out between Israel and Iran, ending the pause that had followed the Gaza peace plan. The movement frames the renewed campaign as part of its commitment to the Axis of Resistance and its support for the Iranian-led confrontation. The resumption renewed fears of supply chain disruption and forced shipping companies to reevaluate their Red Sea routes, months after traffic had begun to stabilize.

Location: Red Sea