The Strategic Disruption by Houthi Forces in the Maritime Corridor of the Red Sea, Global Economic, Humanitarian and Security Implications (2025)

The Red Sea, a critical maritime corridor facilitating 12% of global trade, has become a focal point of geopolitical and economic instability due to Houthi-led disruptions. Since 2015, the Houthi insurgency in Yemen, backed by Iran, has escalated its attacks on commercial shipping, targeting vessels transiting the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and Suez Canal. These disruptions have led to a 70% decline in Red Sea shipping traffic (December 2023–April 2024), a 30% surge in global freight rates, and rerouting costs adding $1 million per voyage via the Cape of Good Hope.