Red Sea

Some big shipping companies are starting to reroute through the iconic waterway once again, with more problems currently in the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Gulf than in the Red Sea

Clashes in the vital port city of Hodeidah were curiously timed, so soon after a senior Houthi delegation attended the funeral in Iran of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei

The US wants to revive talks on Ethiopia's Nile dam, but another strategic contest between Addis Ababa and Cairo has emerged in the Red Sea, which could complicate reconciliation efforts

For Addis Ababa, using Djibouti's port for trade is not enough; it wants its own sovereign access to international waters. However, this first needs the consent of suspicious neighbours.

Cairo hopes that by helping the Americans establish relations with Egyptian allies in the region, it will be better placed to deal with the threats posed by Addis Ababa

As a route for Gulf energy exports, nothing can fully replace the Strait of Hormuz, which remains closed by Iran, but a Saudi port city on the Red Sea could hold some of the answers.

The regional rivals aren't just fighting over freshwater supplies. Cairo sees Addis Ababa's bid for Red Sea access as part of a wider fragmentation strategy.

Is the Red Sea moving toward an ordered space governed by capable states or toward a grey zone edging toward disorder? Read our February cover story to find out.

US President Donald Trump agreed a ceasefire in early May on the condition that the Houthis do not attack American ships. Good to their word, they are still attacking others, with no comeuppance.

Each year, around $1tn worth of cargo, including oil and liquefied natural gas, flows through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. This represents nearly 15% of global seaborne trade, and about 30% of global…