Escalating Houthi Attacks and Red Sea Crisis Disrupt Global Trade and Threaten US Troops

Attacks by Houthi militants in Yemen have forced most container ships and oil tankers to reroute around southern Africa instead of using the Suez Canal, causing significant disruptions to global trade. As many as 12 out of every 14 container ships are heading south, adding up to a month to their journey and delaying the delivery of goods. The attacks, in response to Israel's war with Hamas, have targeted passing ships in the Red Sea, leading major shipping lines to avoid the area. The situation threatens to upend international commerce already strained by rising inflation, the war in Ukraine, and the pandemic.