DUBAI: Two of the world's largest shipping firms, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, said on Friday they were suspending passage through a Red Sea strait vital for global commerce after Yemeni rebel attacks in the area.

The Iran-backed Houthis, who control much of Yemen but are not recognized internationally, say they are targeting shipping to pressure Israel during its two-month-old war with Palestinian Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.

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