As Houthi attacks continue, Carnival Cruise says it is rerouting ships

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Carnival Corporation said it is rerouting a dozen cruise ships away from the Red Sea as Houthi militants repeatedly bombard commercial vessels.

In a statement released Tuesday, the corporation said it made the decision "given recent developments and in close consultation with global security experts and government authorities."

Carnival is rerouting 12 ships across seven brands that were scheduled to transit the Red Sea through May. The company said it has not seen an impact on bookings due to the situation in the region, and it has no other Red Sea transits until November.

The move follows related ones by other companies relying on shipping routes in the region.

Earlier this month, Tesla said it will suspend its German operations for two weeks in February due to Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea.

Tesla said the conflict in the Red Sea has delayed parts deliveries from major shipping companies.

And Maersk, one of the world's shipping container leaders, said it is avoiding the Red Sea "for the foreseeable future," after one of its vessels was attacked by Houthi militants in December.

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have vowed to target ships linked to the United States and the United Kingdom after the two countries launched air and naval strikes in retaliation for Houthi attacks on commercial vessels.

The rebel group on Friday attacked the Marlin Luanda as the British oil tanker was sailing east through the Gulf of Aden. The missile blast caused a fire in the cargo tank of the vessel but the ship was saved by Indian, French and U.S. Navy vessels.

Houthi military spokesperson Yaha Sarea claimed responsibility for the attack and said the Houthis will continue to enforce a "blockade on Israeli navigation in the Red and Arabian seas until a ceasefire is achieved in Gaza, and food and medicine are allowed in to the besieged Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip."