In response to a series of drone and rocket attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, several major shipping companies have made the decision to avoid the area, causing significant disruptions to global trade routes. The attacks, attributed to the Houthis, an Iran-backed rebel group controlling a significant portion of Yemen, have escalated since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7th.

Citing concerns over the safety of their fleets and cargo, prominent shipping firms including Mediterranean Shipping Company, Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and oil giant BP have announced their plans to divert vessels away from the Red Sea. The attacks, specifically targeting ships headed to Israel, were claimed by the Houthis, although it remains unclear if all targeted vessels were indeed bound for the embattled nation.

In what marked a significant escalation, the Houthis reported the seizure of an Israeli cargo ship in November. Since then, they have continued their spree of attacks, utilizing both unmanned aerial drones and ballistic missiles to target commercial vessels.

The United States has accused Iran of being deeply involved in orchestrating these operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. It alleges that Iranian intelligence support has played a critical role in enabling the Houthis to carry out these attacks. The Houthis, a faction of Yemen's Shia Muslim minority known as the Zaidis, have aligned themselves with Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah as part of the so-called "axis of resistance" against Israel, the United States, and other Western powers.

The Houthis, who draw inspiration from Lebanon's Shia armed group, Hezbollah, have received extensive military expertise and training from the latter since 2014, according to the Combating Terrorism Center, a US research institute. Additionally, the group views Iran as an ally due to their shared enmity towards Saudi Arabia.

While Iran denies any involvement in the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, both the US and Saudi Arabia assert that Iran supplied ballistic missiles used by the rebels to target the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in 2017, although they were intercepted. Saudi Arabia also holds Iran responsible for equipping the Houthis with cruise missiles and drones used in the 2019 attacks on Saudi oil installations.

The Houthis' attacks have had a far-reaching impact, with tens of thousands of short-range missiles fired into Saudi Arabia, as well as strikes on targets within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Furthermore, since the start of the conflict in Gaza, the rebels have launched ballistic missiles and drones towards Israel.

Supplying weapons to the Houthis would violate a UN arms embargo, and while Iran denies doing so, the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, including the Red Sea coastline, remain a source of concern for regional stability.

As shipping companies navigate the challenges posed by these attacks, the diversion of vessels away from the Red Sea is expected to have a significant impact on global trade flows. The international community, including the United Nations, will be closely monitoring developments in the region, hoping to find a resolution to the escalating conflict and maintain the smooth functioning of vital maritime trade routes.