LONDON — Yemen's Houthi movement attacked a commercial cargo vessel in the southern Red Sea on Tuesday, the second assault in days on shipping in the area. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed it had received a distress report and was coordinating with warships in the region.

The latest incident follows an assault earlier this week in which gunmen in small boats fired on a merchant ship near the Bab al-Mandab strait. The Houthis have carried out dozens of attacks on shipping since late 2023, framing them as solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, though strikes had eased during recent lulls in fighting.

Security firm Ambrey and the private intelligence group Vanguard have advised vessels to transit the strait with heightened caution and armed guards. The Red Sea handles a significant share of global container traffic and energy shipments, and sustained attacks have pushed many operators to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, raising costs and delivery times.

The European Union's Operation Aspides naval mission and the US-led coalition have maintained patrols in the area, but the vast expanse of water has made comprehensive protection difficult. A spokesperson for the International Maritime Organization urged restraint and called for the immediate protection of seafarers, who bear the greatest risk in the crossfire.

Analysts at the London-based think tank Chatham House warned that renewed Houthi activity could disrupt one of the world's busiest maritime corridors, with knock-on effects for insurance premiums and global supply chains already strained by regional instability.