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The situation has escalated dramatically, with reports indicating a tenfold increase in incidents year-on-year. Distress calls from vessels under attack are now being routed to the UK Navy's emergency service for shipping, where civilian teams strive to coordinate responses amidst the chaos. The Houthi rebels, a Yemen-based group, have launched unprecedented attacks, responding to ongoing conflicts in Gaza by targeting maritime shipping—a move of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.