News

Houthi militants attack ships in one of the world’s busiest trade routes

Published

2 years ago

February 4, 2024

Reuters

Iranian-backed Houthi militants have used ballistic missiles and “kamikaze” drones in attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea.

The attacks began on Nov. 19 when Houthi commandos landed a helicopter on the Galaxy Leader cargo vessel as it was passing through the southern Red Sea. They redirected it toward Hodeidah port in Yemen and seized the crew, who are still being held.

Since then, 29 more ships have been attacked in the area, with 13 of those suffering direct strikes from missiles or drones. The attacks have caused major disruptions to global trade, some 12% of which passes through the Red Sea.

Commercial ships

Reuters has cataloged the ships attacked so far and examined how Houthi militants are using a combination of weapons to target commercial ships. The analysis shows how Houthi drone and missile activity has escalated since the Gaza war began, and has continued despite Western military airstrikes on their bases in Yemen, which began on Jan. 11.

Houthi attacks have targeted ships in the southern Red Sea and the neighboring Gulf of Aden, which are joined by the Bab al-Mandab strait, a chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East.

Precarious navigation

In Arabic, Bab al-Mandab means “Gate of Tears”, a reference to the strait’s precarious navigation. The narrow waterway lies between Djibouti and Eritrea on the coast of east Africa and western Yemen, much of which is under Houthi control.

Bab al-Mandab is a strategic link between the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean: exports to the Western markets from the Gulf and Asia must pass through before entering the Suez Canal.

At only 18 miles wide at its narrowest point, shipping traffic is limited to two channels for inbound and outbound shipments, leading to occasional congestion.

News

Iran live updates: Trump Says Iran strikes to continue for four to five weeks

Published

21 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Ahron Young

What’s happening in the Middle East?

President Donald Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed, with Iran now entering a transitional period under a three man leadership council
Trump says U.S. strikes on Iran could last four to five weeks, outlining objectives including destroying missile capabilities, dismantling Iran’s navy and preventing it from obtaining a nuclear weapon
The U.S. military confirms four American service members have been killed, and the White House says U.S. forces have destroyed and sunk nine Iranian naval ships
Iran says it sees “no limit” to its right to self defence and will not negotiate, as missile and drone attacks continue across Israel and Gulf states
More than 500 Iranians have been killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes, with additional deaths reported in Lebanon, Israel and the UAE
Shipping, aviation and energy markets have been disrupted, Qatar has halted LNG production, UAE stock markets have closed temporarily, and oil and gas prices have surged

News

Israel strikes Tehran anew as conflict escalates and global markets react

Israel strikes Tehran after Khamenei’s death; U.S. warns of prolonged conflict as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

Published

21 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Israel strikes Tehran after Khamenei’s death; U.S. warns of prolonged conflict as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

Israel has launched a new wave of strikes on Tehran, following the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned the campaign could last up to a month, framing the operation as a move to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities.

Iran has retaliated with missile attacks, while its Revolutionary Guards claim responsibility for assaults on oil tankers in the Gulf. The escalating hostilities are already disrupting global shipping lanes and air travel, sending shockwaves through international markets.

With reports of the first U.S. casualties emerging and Washington declaring the Tehran operation a success, tensions across the Middle East are intensifying rapidly. The question now is how far this conflict could spread — and at what cost.

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News

U.S. and Israel strike Iran as missiles hit Gulf bases and oil surges

U.S. and Israel launch major military operation against Iran; tensions rise as conflict escalates, impacting global markets.

Published

2 days ago

March 1, 2026

Ahron Young

U.S. and Israel launch major military operation against Iran; tensions rise as conflict escalates, impacting global markets.

The United States and Israel have launched a sweeping military operation against Iran, striking leadership targets and more than 500 military sites in what President Trump has dubbed Operation Epic Fury.

Explosions have rocked Tehran, with civilians fleeing the capital as U.S. sea and air assets carry out sustained attacks. Washington says the mission is designed to prevent a nuclear armed Iran and has even called on Iranians to rise up against the regime.

Iran has retaliated with a barrage of missiles and drones targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. While many projectiles were intercepted, a U.S. base in Bahrain sustained damage.

Gulf states long seen as stable hubs for global business are now directly in the firing line, raising fears of a wider regional war.

Oil prices are climbing and tankers are diverting from the Strait of Hormuz as markets react to the escalating conflict. U.S. aircraft carriers, advanced fighter jets and missile destroyers remain in position, signalling more strikes could follow.

With global leaders scrambling diplomatically, the world is watching to see whether this spirals further or shifts back to negotiations.