According to the UN's maritime agency, 18 shipping firms are rerouting their boats across Africa to avoid the Red Sea due to an increase in assaults on Israeli-linked shipping vessels.

International Maritime Organization chief Arsenio Dominguez explained that "A significant number of companies, around 18 shipping companies, have already decided to reroute their vessels around South Africa in order to reduce the attacks on vessels."

Dominguez added that "(This) represents an additional 10 days to the journeys (and) negative impact on trade and on increasing freight rates."

The Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) have struck an Israeli-linked ship in the Red Sea as part of a series of attacks in the critical waterway in support of Palestinians in Gaza.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree previously reaffirmed that navigation was secure "for all ships worldwide, except those affiliated with 'Israel'" and warned that any provocation from the United States would be met with a response.

Earlier on Sunday, the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) announced that ten of its Navy members were either killed or reported missing after US forces in the Red Sea carried out an attack on three Yemeni Naval speed boats, which were carrying out "their duty" in preventing Israeli and Israeli ports-bound ships from sailing through the Red Sea.

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He vowed that strikes against Israeli-linked vessels would continue until the aggression on Gaza by "Israel" ceased.

US fails to garner shipping companies' trust

Under the pretext that the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) are endangering international trade, the US rushed to form a coalition, hoping to deter the Yemeni people from supporting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The YAF clarified on every possible occasion that their operations would only target Israeli-owned vessels or ships heading to Israeli ports via the Red and Arabian seas.

Previously, Saree said, "We caution all nations against getting involved or cooperating with the United States in protecting the Zionist enemy's ships."

The YAF operations come in line with the nation's unwavering support for the Palestinian people, who are experiencing a blatant US-backed and Israeli-executed genocide. Yemen took a remarkable initiative despite a 9-year-long war on its territories, which has seen thousands killed and millions living under cruel circumstances, due to a Saudi-US imposed siege.

Iran's deployment of warship 'boldest move yet' in the face of US

A Bloomberg report on Tuesday highlighted that Iran's deployment of a warship to the Red Sea is "its most daring action" yet to defy US forces in the vital commerce route in support of the Yemeni Armed Forces' operations. 

An advanced destroyer belonging to the Iranian Navy entered the Red Sea through Bab al-Mandab Strait on Monday, Tasnim reported earlier Monday.

Kevjn Lim, a "Tel Aviv"-based analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said Iran is not showing "a willingness to deescalate, so we’re likely to see further targeting of commercial assets and US maritime ships going forward."

Some of the largest shipping firms have stopped sailing through the Suez Canal, rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope and exacerbating delivery delays between Europe and Asia.