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epa11040942 A ship crosses the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea in Ismailia, Egypt, 22 December 2023. On 18 December, the US Department of Defense announced a multinational operation to safeguard trade and to protect ships in the Red Sea, amid the recent escalation in Houthi attacks originating from Yemen, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Defense. These attacks in recent weeks had prompted major shipping companies to reroute their operations and raised concerns of prolonged disruptions to global trade. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM