TENSIONS in the Red Sea are on the rise again with the US launching airstrikes against Houthi military sites in Yemen as a Houthi spokesperson threatened to escalate attacks on shipping.
Al Jazeera reported the strikes which began on Saturday were in response to Houthi threats to resume attacks on Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea.
The Houthi-run Health Ministry said 53 people had been killed in the attacks and 98 were injured.
The Houthis have vowed to retaliate.
The rising tensions are likely to lead to more disruptions of maritime traffic with some shipping companies contemplating re-routing vessels around the Cape of Good Hope.
On Sunday Al Jazeera reported Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree as saying the US aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman and its accompanying warships had been targeted by Houthi drones.
A Reuters report said 11 Houthi drones had been shot down on Sunday, none of which came close to the Truman.
United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has called for restraint, fearing escalation would further destabilise Yemen.
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio told CBS News that the Houthis could only be carrying out the attacks with support from Iran. He said that by allowing the attacks to continue it made them responsible for the attacks on shipping.
