Two more major shipping firms, Mediterranean Shipping Company and CMA CGM, announced on Saturday they were suspending passage through a Red Sea strait vital for global trade, after Yemeni Houthi rebel attacks in the area, AFP reported.
The announcement by Italian-Swiss giant MSC and France's CMA CGM follows a similar decision on Friday by two of the world's largest shipping companies, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.
MSC, one of the world's largest freight shipping lines, said one of its container vessels had been targeted in the Red Sea on Friday and it was halting traffic through the strait until it was safe.
No one on the MSC Palatium III was wounded but the ship suffered fire damage, the company said.
CMA CGM said it had ordered all its vessels to leave the area and stay there until further notice.
"The situation continues to deteriorate and there are increasing concerns about security," it said, according to AFP.
Maersk’s decision on Friday came one day after the Houthis claimed they carried out a military operation against a Maersk container vessel, directly hitting it with a drone, but did not provide evidence for the claim.
Maersk confirmed its ship Maersk Gibraltar was targeted by a missile while travelling from Salalah, Oman, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but said the vessel was not hit and that the crew was safe.
The Iranian-backed Houthis have upped their attacks since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7.
Last week, the Houthi rebels threatened to attack any vessels heading to Israeli ports unless food and medicine were allowed into the Gaza Strip.
Two days later, the Houthis launched a land-based cruise missile towards a Norwegian commercial tanker vessel.
The attack on the motor transport STRINDA took place about 60 nautical miles north of Bab al-Mandab Strait, US officials said, adding that US Navy destroyer Mason was on scene and rendering aid.
A senior Houthi official then warned cargo ships in the Red Sea to avoid traveling toward “occupied Palestinian territories”.