image sourced from original article at A missile attack on Israel by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen has heightened fears that the group could resume assaults on Red Sea shipping lanes. The strike, which Israel said it intercepted, marks the Houthis’ first direct attack on Israel in a month amid escalating regional tensions involving Iran and its allies.
Analysts warn that the Houthis could again target commercial vessels in the Red Sea, a move that would further disrupt global trade already strained by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The Bab el-Mandeb strait, a critical corridor for oil and container shipments դեպի the Suez Canal, has become even more vital for energy exports, particularly from Saudi Arabia.
Previous Houthi attacks on merchant ships between late 2023 and early 2025 sank two vessels and killed four sailors, forcing many shipping companies to reroute around southern Africa at significant cost. Renewed attacks could drive up oil and natural gas prices and destabilize maritime security, with serious consequences for the global economy and countries dependent on imported energy, including members of the European Union.
