Danish shipping and logistics company A.P. Moller-Maersk said Friday it will suspend container ship travel through the Red Sea after a series of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the region.
At least eight ships have been attacked in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in recent weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The company’s decision came after its Maersk Gibraltar ship was involved in a near-miss incident on Thursday and another container vessel was attacked on Friday.
In response, the company instructed vessels that were set to pass through the strait to pause their travel.
“We are deeply concerned about the highly escalated security situation in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,” Maersk said in a statement. “The recent attacks on commercial vessels in the area are alarming and pose a significant threat to the safety and security of seafarers.”
German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd said some of its ships were also asked to pause their journey until at least Monday and to move outside the strait. A projectile hit the side of the company’s Al Jasrah vessel causing a container to fall overboard. The projectile also caused a “fire on deck,” according to global maritime risk management service Ambrey.
Houthi spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree claimed responsibility for the attack and warned that its forces will continue prevent ships from traveling to Israeli ports in the Red Sea “until they bring in the food and medicine that our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip need.”
The Houthis have threatened to attack ships that are owned by Israelis or are moving cargo to Israel.
Earlier this month, an American warship and several commercial ships faced attacks in the Red Sea, the Pentagon said. The U.S.S. Carney shot down three drones in the Red Sea while responding to distress calls from several commercial vessels that were attacked by missiles fired from the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.