The United Nations said on Friday that the Houthis who control northern Yemen had detained seven U.N. personnel, and it was suspending all UN staff movement in Houthi-held areas while seeking the detainees' immediate release.

Yemen's Huthi rebels have detained another seven UN employees, the United Nations chief said on Friday, their latest move to target aid workers. Following the latest swoop, the United Nations has suspended "all official movements into and within" areas held by Huthis,

Shipping companies expressed caution about using the shorter route between Asia and Europe that many ships have avoided for more than a year.

The United Nations said on Friday that the Houthis who control northern Yemen had detained an unspecified number of UN personnel, and it was suspending movement in all Houthi-held areas while seeking

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.

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.

Yemen's Huthi rebels accused Washington on Thursday of designating them a terrorist group for supporting the Palestinian people, their stated motive for months of attacks on Israel and in the Red Sea.

The move by the Iranian-backed Houthis marks their latest effort to de-escalate their attacks following a ceasefire in Gaza.

European forces joined the US Navy last year in an effort to defend key shipping lanes from Houthi rebel attacks.

Red Sea shipping remains risky despite the Gaza ceasefire and an announcement by Yemen’s Houthis to limit attacks, according to the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company's logistics and shipping arm.

The move will authorize harsher penalties on the Iran-backed group, which has attacked Israel and disrupted global shipping trade in the Red Sea for over a year.