Who are the Houthis and why are they attacking Red Sea ships?
The number of Houthi attacks in the Red Sea has increased rapidly. Now, the US and UK have responded. Our 麻豆社 experts explain what's going on.
For merchant sailors, navigating one of the world's most significant shipping lanes - the Red Sea - has become perilous. And that's because Yemen's Houthis have stepped up their attacks on commercial vessels.
In one scene -- from last November -- the Galaxy Leader cargo ship was seized and its course redirected to Yemen. The civilian crew were ordered to lie down at gunpoint, with all communications cut.
The assaults -- of which there've been more than two dozen carried out in recent months -- have disrupted shipping. In fact, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea increased 500% between November and December. The threat has become so great that some major shipping companies have ceased sailing in the region for now - as insurance costs rise rapidly.
The US and UK have responded with strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. So, in this episode of 5 Questions On - our International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, Security Correspondent, Frank Gardner and reporter for 麻豆社 Arabic, Amira Mhadhbi - answer the key questions about who are Yemen鈥檚 Houthis and why they're attacking ships in the Red Sea.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
