Despite a ceasefire in Gaza and assurances from Yemen's Houthi rebels to scale back attacks on international vessels in the Red Sea, major shipping companies remain hesitant to resume using the Suez Canal due to ongoing security concerns.

U.S. ships are returning to the Red Sea following promises from Yemen’s Houthi rebels to abstain from attacks on American and British vessels. The pledge, which comes after more than a year of shipping traffic disruption on a major international trade route,

Houthi rebels have backed the Gaza ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas, with the Yemeni group’s spokesperson saying they will halt their military operations against Israel as well as commercial ships in the Red Sea if the truce comes into force on Sunday.

Hapag-Lloyd reiterated it will return to the Red Sea "when it is sufficiently safe to do so," while Maersk said it was too early to speculate.

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.

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.

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 Houthi rebels said they will cease attacks on Israel and on merchant shipping in the Red Sea as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect