Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced the deployment of a Sri Lanka Navy ship in the Red Sea to address security concerns against Houthi activities.

International shipping faces disruptions due to attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants, impacting freight costs and delivery schedules. The Houthis cite retaliation against Israel’s support for Hamas. Rerouting ships around South Africa to avoid the Red Sea is a costly alternative. The move aims to safeguard regional stability and shipping operations.