Red Sea Maritime Security
The Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait form one of the world's most consequential maritime chokepoints, carrying roughly 10–12% of seaborne trade and a significant share of Europe's energy imports between the Suez Canal and the Indian Ocean. At its narrowest, the strait separates Yemen's coast from Djibouti and Eritrea by only about 20 nautical miles, making it both a vital artery and a natural bottleneck for interception, mines, and fast-attack craft.
Since late 2023, the maritime threat picture in the southern Red Sea has shifted sharply. Houthi forces in Yemen have conducted sustained attacks on commercial shipping — anti-ship ballistic missiles, one-way attack drones, and small-boat engagements — targeting vessels they link, often loosely, to Israel, the United States, or the United Kingdom. Several vessels have been struck, set ablaze, or seized, and crew casualties have been reported. Many of the targeting claims are contested or unverifiable, and Red Sea Intelligence attributes them to the claimant rather than treating them as established fact.
The naval response has been multinational. Operation Prosperity Guardian, led by the United States, and the European Union's Aspides mission, alongside independent escorts by regional and partner navies, have sought to harden the corridor and intercept incoming munitions. Despite these escorts, risk remains elevated: insurers continue to classify large stretches of the southern Red Sea as a war-risk zone, and many operators have rerouted vessels around the Cape of Good Hope rather than transit the strait.
The economic effects are measurable. Suez Canal transit revenue has fallen as traffic reroutes, freight rates on affected lanes have risen, and war-risk insurance premiums have climbed. Port throughput at Djibouti, Jeddah, and Aden reflects the volatility, while satellite AIS clustering and port logs reveal shifting escort footprints and convoy patterns.
Red Sea Intelligence monitors this corridor daily using AIS-derived vessel tracks, port and casualty reports, official statements, and OSINT trackers. Each item carries a confidence label — CONFIRMED, DEVELOPING, OSINT, ASSESSMENT, or UNVERIFIED — so readers can distinguish a verified strike from a claimed one. Explore the live maritime feed and the interactive regional map for the latest positions and incidents.