Who are the Houthi rebels and why are they attacking ships in the Red Sea?

Attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels – both on Israel and on commercial ships in the Red Sea – have stoked fears of a wider conflict in the region already affected by the war in Gaza. On 10 January, a British warship in an operation with US forces, shot down seven drones launched by Houthi fighters in the Red Sea to repel the largest drone and missile attack to date. This was the 26th Houthi attack on commercial shipping since 19 November, according to the US, when the group vowed to target vessels it believes are heading to and from Israel….