Japanese shipping firm Nippon Yusen - NYK Line - announced it is rerouting all its vessels away from the Red Sea, citing the escalating security escalations in the area.

"We have suspended navigation through the Red Sea by all ships we operate," a spokesperson for the firm told AFP, adding the decision was to "ensure the safety of crews."

Over the past week, the US and UK carried out a series of aggressions against Yemen, including strikes on the capital Sanaa and the coastal governorate of Hodeidah. This raised global fears of a cycle of new escalations, especially after Yemen declared an "inevitable" response is coming.