U.S. fighter jets Thursday afternoon struck Houthi anti-ship missiles that officials said were prepared to launch at commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea.
(Bloomberg) Huge numbers of merchant ships have continued to navigate the southern Red Sea since warnings by western navies to stay away from the crucial trade route to avoid attack by Houthi militants.Most Read from BloombergUS Merchant Vessel Struck as Shippers Told to Avoid Red SeaTrump Scores Easy Win in Iowa With DeSantis a Distant SecondIowa Latest: Biden Calls Trump ‘Clear Frontrunner’ After WinApple to Pull Blood-Oxygen Tool From Watches to Avoid US Ban If Appeal FailsWhat Is Disease
Maersk has sent two container ships through the Red Sea carrying goods for the United States military and government, according to the Danish company and ship tracking data. Maersk and other large shipping lines have instructed hundreds of commercial vessels to stay clear of the Bab al-Mandab Strait near Yemen, sending vessels on the longer route around Africa in response to attacks on shipping by Iranian-backed Houthi militants. The two U.S.-flagged vessels, Maersk Sentosa and Maersk Kensington, sailed from Salalah in Oman through the Bab al-Mandab Strait and were headed north through the Red Sea, according to LSEG ship-tracking data.