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Canada joins force to protect ships from Houthi rebel attacks in Red Sea

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Canada is part of a new international force created to protect ships in the Red Sea that have come under attack from Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The U.S-led maritime force will see military ships provide overarching protection to as many ships as possible in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at any given time.

The rebels, reportedly backed by Iran, have shared video of a drone attack on two more commercial vessels on Monday.

The new protection force will conduct joint patrols to protect ships going through the Red Sea.

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About 10 per cent of the world’s trade passes through the narrow waterway between Yemen and East Africa, leading to the Red Sea and Suez Canal.

Many ships are now taking a longer way around the Cape of Good Hope, adding days to their voyages.

Oil and natural gas giant BP has joined four of the world’s top five container shipping companies in avoiding the area.

This handout screen grab captured from a video shows Yemen’s Houthi fighters’ takeover of the Galaxy Leader Cargo in the Red Sea coast off Hudaydah, on November 20, 2023 in the Red Sea, Yemen (Photo by Houthi Movement via Getty Images).