A fire aboard the Hong Kong-flagged ASL Bauhinia on Tuesday was not linked to Houthi attacks, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Joint Maritime Information Center said on Wednesday.

British and American ships are tentatively returning to the Red Sea after Yemen’s Houthi rebels vowed to hold off attacks on vessels linked to both nations, a sign that traffic on one of the world’s main trade routes could normalize after more than a year of disruption.

Shipping companies expressed caution about using the shorter route between Asia and Europe that many ships have avoided for more than a year.

The world’s top three container operators said they fear instability in Gaza and broader regional tensions mean continued danger.

U.S. ships are returning to the Red Sea following promises from Yemen’s Houthi rebels to abstain from attacks on American and British vessels. The pledge, which comes after more than a year of

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement has released the crew of a cargo ship more than a year after its fighters hijacked the vessel in the Red Sea, as part of its campaign of attacks in support of Hamas in its war against Israel.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have signaled they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip takes hold.

Despite a ceasefire in Gaza and assurances from Yemen's Houthi rebels to scale back attacks on international vessels in the Red Sea, major shipping companies remain hesitant to resume using the Suez Canal due to ongoing security concerns.

An explosion has struck a Hong Kong-flagged container ship traveling north through the Red Sea, sparking a major fire that forced its crew to abandon the vessel.