Red Sea crisis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Red Sea crisis |
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| Part of the Iran–Israel proxy conflict, the Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present), and the Yemeni civil war (2014–present) | |||||||
 Map of Houthi activity near the Yemeni coast: Houthi-controlled Yemen (SPC) Government of Yemen (PLC) Houthi attacks (red) and hijackings (blue) |
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The Red Sea crisis started on 19 October 2023. It began when the Houthi movement in Yemen, supported by Iran, launched missiles and drones towards Israel. They demanded an end to the conflict in Gaza.
Since then, the Houthis have attacked many merchant and navy ships in the Red Sea. In response, the US and its allies have launched hundreds of air strikes against Houthi targets. This crisis is connected to the wider conflict in Gaza and other tensions in the Middle East.
The Houthis have controlled a large part of Yemen along the Red Sea since 2014. They do not recognize Yemen's official government. After the Gaza conflict began, the Houthis, who are allies with Hamas, started attacking Israel. They also fired on merchant ships in the Red Sea, especially near the Bab-el-Mandeb. This area is a key shipping route to the Suez Canal. These attacks have caused problems for the global economy. The Houthis say they will not stop until the Gaza conflict ends.
The Houthis claim they will target any ship linked to Israel, including US and UK warships. However, they have also attacked ships from many other countries that have no connection to Israel. From October 2023 to March 2024, the Houthis attacked over 60 ships in the Red Sea. To avoid these attacks, hundreds of commercial ships have changed their routes. They now sail around South Africa, which takes much longer.
The Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have led to military action from several countries. In January 2024, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2722. This resolution condemned the Houthi attacks and supported the right for ships to travel freely. The United States then launched Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect shipping in the Red Sea. Starting on 12 January, the US and UK led air and missile strikes against the Houthis. Other countries are also independently attacking Houthi vessels. On 3 May, a Houthi general, Yahya Saree, stated they would target ships going to Israeli ports in the Mediterranean Sea. On 6 May, US President Donald Trump announced that US strikes would end due to a ceasefire with the Houthis.
Contents
Why the Red Sea Crisis Started
Who are the Houthis in Yemen?
The Houthi movement is a military group in Yemen. They are supported by Iran. They control parts of Yemen, but they are not the country's official government. In 2014, the Houthis took control of Yemen's capital city, Sanaa. This led to an ongoing civil war. Millions of people have been forced to leave their homes. A group of countries led by Saudi Arabia also set up a blockade around Yemen. These events have greatly harmed Yemen's economy and led to a severe famine.
The US military has destroyed Houthi drones in Yemen and over the Red Sea. They did this because they saw the drones as a threat. This has made tensions worse in the area.
How the Gaza Conflict Connects to the Houthis
After the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, the Gaza war began. Many groups supported by Iran, including the Houthis, showed support for the Palestinians. They also threatened to attack Israel. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned the United States not to help Israel. He said that if the US got involved, the Houthis would respond with drone and missile attacks. To stop their attacks in the Red Sea, the Houthis demanded a ceasefire in Gaza. They also wanted an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
What Weapons Do the Houthis Use?
The Houthis mostly use weapons from Russia, China, or Iran. They use different types of missiles and drones. Some of these can reach Israel from Yemen.
- Toufan – A missile that can hit targets up to 1,800 km (1,100 mi) away.
- Cruise missiles – These are from the Iranian Soumar family and can travel about 2,000 km (1,200 mi).
- Quds-2 missile – This missile is designed to strike Israel, with a range of 1,350 km (840 mi).
- Samad-3 and Samad-4 – These are drones that can fly up to 1,800 km (1,100 mi) or more.
- Wa'id drones – Similar to Iran's Shahed 136, these drones can travel 2,500 km (1,600 mi).
- Naval drones – These are 7 metres (23 ft) long unmanned boats filled with explosives.
How the Crisis Affects Everyone
Impact on Israel and Egypt
Houthi attacks have reduced shipping to Israel. Trade in the area has also decreased. Commercial shipping to Eilat, an Israeli port, has almost stopped. Ships from Asia going to Israel, and some not going to Israel, now sail around Africa. This makes the journey three weeks longer and more expensive. By 21 December 2023, over 100 container ships had changed their routes. Each trip added about 6,000 nautical miles.
Insurance costs for ships in the Red Sea have gone up. Some Israeli ships saw a 250% increase. Others could not get insurance at all.
Israelis might face delays in getting goods and higher prices. But the effects on Egypt's economy are more serious. Shipping through the Suez Canal brings in nearly $9.4 billion for Egypt. The crisis has made Egypt's debt problems worse.
In March, Israeli news reported that half of the workers at Eilat Port might lose their jobs. The port lost a lot of money because of the Red Sea crisis. In July, the port of Eilat declared bankruptcy. They asked the Israeli government for help. Their activity had dropped by 85% due to the Houthi blockade. The Suez Canal's yearly income also fell to $7.2 billion in 2023–24.
Impact on the Global Economy
Major shipping companies have stopped sending ships through the Red Sea. This includes MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO, Hapag-Lloyd, and Evergreen Marine Corporation. On 18 December, the oil company BP also stopped all shipments through the Red Sea. Maersk, a large shipping company, announced on 25 December 2023 that it would restart operations. This was because of Operation Prosperity Guardian. But by 30 December, Maersk paused them again after more attacks. In May, Maersk estimated a 15–20 percent loss in shipping capacity due to the Red Sea crisis.
On 12 January, Tesla said it would stop most production at its factory in Germany for two weeks. This was due to supply chain problems caused by Houthi attacks. Volvo Cars also paused production at its plant in Belgium for three days. Shell plc announced it would stop "transit" through the Red Sea.
On 18 December, Evergreen Marine Corporation stopped its shipping service to Israel. This was due to safety concerns. COSCO, the fourth-largest shipping company, and its part OOCL also stopped all services to Israel in early January 2024.
On 21 December, the CEO of the port of Eilat said its activity dropped by 85%. Many ships now take a longer, safer route around Africa. This adds ten days, uses more fuel, and costs more for the crew. Fewer ships using the Suez Canal also hurt Egypt's economy.
Many freighters still use the Red Sea. Mostly large container ships are avoiding it. Other ships like bulk carriers and tankers still use the route. This is because they have different contracts or are from countries that support Gaza. In early January 2024, about 105 bulk carriers and 58 tankers were active daily in the Red Sea.
After COSCO stopped services to Israel, a Houthi official said in January 2024 that Chinese and Russian ships not linked to Israel would have safe passage.
As of January 2024, most marine insurance companies require a guarantee of no Israeli involvement to insure ships for the Red Sea route. Some also require no US or UK interest and no calls to Israeli ports in the last 12 months.
Qatar has stopped sending tankers of liquefied natural gas through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. This happened after US-led air strikes increased risks. Qatar is Europe's second-largest LNG supplier. This long pause has caused concerns as winter approaches in Europe.
By February 2024, over half of the UK's export businesses were affected by shipping problems in the Red Sea. Companies reported that the cost of hiring containers increased by 300%. Businesses also faced cashflow problems and shortages of parts for production.
A UNCTAD study found that from December 2023 to February 2024, container shipping prices from Shanghai to Europe rose by 256%. This was mainly due to Houthi attacks. Also, 42% fewer cargo ships used the Suez Canal during this time.
In June 2024, the US Defense Intelligence Agency reported a 90% drop in container shipping through the Red Sea. This was from December 2023 to February 2024. The report said 29 energy and shipping companies in 65 countries were affected. They had to change their routes, mostly going around the Cape of Good Hope. This adds 11,000 nautical miles (20,000 km; 13,000 mi), ten days of travel, and US$1,000,000 in fuel costs to each trip. The Russell Group estimated that goods worth about $1 trillion were affected by Houthi attacks from October 2023 to May 2024.
The number of ships passing through the Suez Canal fell from 2,068 in November 2023 to about 877 in October 2024. About 200 cargo ships used the Bab el Mandeb Strait in February 2025. Global shipping prices in March 2025 were still much higher than before the Gaza War.
Impact on Aid and Humanitarian Efforts
Houthi attacks have delayed aid shipments for Sudan. They have also made it more expensive for aid groups to work there. Sudan is facing an ongoing conflict that puts millions at risk of famine. Aid shipments that normally take one or two weeks now take months. This is because ships carrying aid to Port Sudan must sail around Africa. Then they go through the Mediterranean Sea and the Suez Canal to reach their destination.
What Countries Are Doing
UN Security Council's Response
On 10 January 2024, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2722. This resolution, proposed by the US and Japan, condemned the Houthi attacks. It stated that countries have the right to defend their ships. It also demanded that the Houthis immediately release the Galaxy Leader ship and its crew. The vote was 11 in favor, 0 against, with four countries not voting. Among the five permanent members of the Security Council, the US, UK, and France supported the resolution. Russia and China did not vote.
Israel and Egypt's Reactions
After an incident on 27 October, President of Egypt Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged all sides in the Gaza conflict to respect Egypt's borders. He stressed that the Egyptian Army could protect the country from more attacks.
In early December 2023, Israel asked its allies to respond to Houthi threats to shipping. Israeli National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi said that if the threats continued, Israel would act to end the blockade.
The US Navy has shot down Houthi rockets and missiles in the Red Sea. But they did not attack those who fired them. In December 2023, the US announced a new naval task force. This group would protect commercial ships in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait and Gulf of Aden. The operation, called Operation Prosperity Guardian, officially started on 23 December 2023. It is similar to past operations that protected ships from attacks. This includes the "Tanker War" in the 1980s and current operations by Combined Task Force 153. The operation has also been compared to the successful fight against Somali pirates. However, the Houthis have support from Iran and better weapons.
Countries Patrolling on Their Own
France, Italy, and India have sent their own navy ships to the region. The French frigate Languedoc stopped drones launched from a Houthi-controlled port. Italy sent the frigate Virginio Fasan for its Secure Mediterranean operation. India also sent two Kolkata-class destroyers to improve security in the Red Sea.
Pro-Palestinian Protests
In mid-January 2024, reports showed that pro-Palestinian protesters in London supported Houthi fighters. This happened after the UK and US attacked Houthi targets. Some protesters chanted, "Yemen, Yemen make us proud, turn another ship around." Others held signs saying "Hands off Yemen" and "Thanks Yemen."
Images for kids
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Areas controlled by the Houthi movement in 2024, colored green
See also
In Spanish: Crisis del mar Rojo para niños
