A major shipping company has declared its resumption of operations in the Red Sea after a hiatus caused by Houthi attacks

The global shipping leader Maersk is set to restart its operations in the Red Sea, an area it previously left due to attacks by Houthi rebels, backed by Iran, on commercial ships.

The Denmark-based company made an announcement on Sunday confirming its plan to resume shipping activities in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. This decision follows the launch of Operation Prosperity Guardian, a new US-led security initiative aimed at protecting the region.

Maersk expressed in their statement that Operation Prosperity Guardian will facilitate the safe passage of shipping vessels through the region, a development it described as extremely beneficial for the entire shipping industry and essential for the smooth functioning of global trade.

The security operation involves collaboration from several nations, including the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain.

This move comes after several major companies, like the oil giant BP, halted their operations in the Red Sea and avoided the critical Suez Canal. These decisions were in response to the Houthi militants’ attacks on commercial ships, which they claimed were acts of retaliation against Israel for its military actions against Hamas in Gaza.