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

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.

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.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Operations at a Red Sea port in Yemen used for aid imports have fallen to about a quarter of its capacity, a UN official said on Tuesday, adding it was not certain that a Gaza ceasefire would end attacks between the Iran-backed Houthis and Israel.

The second reason is politics. The Houthis have made it clear that any re-opening of the route is contingent on the modalities and progress of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the implementation of which began on Sunday. “There are still many ifs and buts to the situation,” the executive said.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Yemen's Houthi rebels signal they will limit attacks in the Red Sea corridor to Israeli-affiliated ships.

Yemen's Houthis have indicated they will restrict their Red Sea attacks to vessels linked with Israel amid a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Houthis said they will stop attacking US and UK vessels in the Red Sea area in response to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement after a year-plus campaign that’s upended global trade.

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 took hold. The Houthis made the announcement in an email sent to shippers and others on Sunday.