Tensions around the Red Sea are rising again

Tensions around the Red Sea are once again rising as the Houthis in Yemen have threatened new attacks on commercial shipping. The trigger is the increasing military presence of the United States in the Middle East.

The Houthis carried out several attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea at the end of 2023, as an expression of support for the Palestinian population in Gaza. These attacks ceased after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, but the renewed threats are causing fresh unrest in the region. Container carriers CMA CGM and Maersk had cautiously begun returning earlier this month, each resuming a full service route through the Suez Canal.

The aviation sector is also responding: KLM, Lufthansa and British Airways have temporarily suspended flights to the Middle East due to the changing geopolitical situation. For internationally operating SMEs, the renewed threat may impact transit times, rerouting of shipments, and costs within the logistics chain.