Five maps that show why the Red Sea is so important. The Houthi attacks on shipping and the US-led response have highlighted the global significance of this narrow stretch of water.

Red Sea Map Shows Where Attacks on Vessels Have Taken Place. Published Dec 18, 2023 at 9:32 AM EST Updated Dec 18, 2023 at 10:42 AM EST. By .

Map from MarineTraffic of shipping routes through Red Sea on Match 21, 2025 with rough boundaries of area of operations of Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis.

The Red Sea is defined by two narrow waterways: to the north, the Suez Canal, an Egyptian waterway; and to the south, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

This 16th-century map is teeming with sea monsters. ... Near the coast of Norway, Magnus depicts a bright-red sea serpent attacking a ship that tilts as though it’s being taken under.