Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement has released the crew of a cargo ship more than a year after its fighters hijacked the vessel in the Red Sea, as part of its campaign of attacks in support of Hamas in its war against Israel.

CMA CGM, the French container line that has continued to transit the Red Sea despite attacks on shipping, said it will continue to route most of its affected services away from the region.

On 19 January, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a halt to their 14-month campaign against Western-affiliated shipping off their country’s coast — except for vessels wholly-owned by Israeli interests or flying the Israeli flag.

The world’s top three container operators said they fear instability in Gaza and broader regional tensions mean continued danger.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier seized in November 2023 at the start of their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea corridor over the Israel-Hamas war.

French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM will continue to avoid the Red Sea even though it considers the region is more stable following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, it said on Saturday.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have signaled they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip takes hold.

The Yemeni rebel group says it will stop targeting vessels that transit the Red Sea.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they will cease attacks on Israel and on merchant shipping in the Red Sea as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect

A fire aboard the Hong Kong-flagged ASL Bauhinia on Tuesday was not linked to Houthi attacks, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Joint Maritime Information Center said on Wednesday.

Mr. Zubeidi, who was also once a theater director, stunned Israelis and Palestinians alike when he and others broke out of jail in 2021.