Who are the Houthis and why are they attacking Red Sea ships?

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For merchant sailors, navigating one of the world's most significant shipping lanes - the Red Sea - has become perilous. And that's because Yemen's Houthis have stepped up their attacks on commercial vessels. In one scene -- from last November -- the Galaxy Leader cargo ship was seized and its course redirected to Yemen. The civilian crew were ordered to lie down at gunpoint, with all communications cut. The assaults -- of which there've been more than two dozen carried out in recent months -- have disrupted shipping. In fact, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea increased 500% between November and December. The threat has become so great that some major shipping companies have ceased sailing in the region for now - as insurance costs rise rapidly. The US and UK have responded with strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. So, in this episode of 5 Questions On - our International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, Security Correspondent, Frank Gardner and reporter for BBC Arabic, Amira Mhadhbi - answer the key questions about who are Yemen’s Houthis and why they're attacking ships in the Red Sea. (Image credit: Getty Images)