Oil giant BP has announced the suspension of shipping through the Suez Canal after attacks on cargo ships by Yemen-based militias. 

BP said in a statement: "The safety and security of our people and those working on our behalf is BP's priority.

"In light of the deteriorating security situation for shipping in the Red Sea, BP has decided to temporarily pause all transits through the Red Sea."

Houthi militants have increased attacks on ships transiting through the Red Sea in recent days, in what they describe as a response to Israel’s military operations in Gaza. 

Defense Secretary Grant Shapps said that on Friday, a British air-defense destroyer, the HMS Diamond, brought down a suspected attack drone in the Red Sea, marking the first time that the Royal Navy has shot down an aerial target since the 1991 First Gulf War.

“The recent spate of illegal attacks represents a direct threat to international commerce and maritime security in the Red Sea. The U.K. remains to repelling these attacks to protect the free flow of global trade,” Shapps said in a statement.

Egyptian state media also reported on Saturday that Egypt’s air defenses shot down a suspected drone near the Red Sea resort town of Dahab.

The Houthis have repeatedly attempted to attack Israeli territory and disrupt global shipping channels during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, with the situation escalating in recent days.

On Friday, Copenhagen-based Maersk, Swiss-based MSC and the French shipping group CMA CGM announced a halt to shipping operations in the Red Sea area.

Maersk said the attacks in the southern Red Sea “are alarming and pose a significant threat to the safety and security of seafarers.”

The Houthis have been increasing their attacks on commercial ships attempting to pass through the Bab el-Mandeb strait that connects the Red Sea and the Suez Canal to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. They have launched more than 10 attacks on ships in the area since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.

The world’s largest container shipping lines have all since said they will avoid the Red Sea and the Suez Canal due to the risk of terrorist attacks.