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The Houthi strikes on shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023 have caused unprecedented disruption to navigation in this strategic chokepoint, which connects South Asia to West Asia, North Africa, and Europe. These attacks have also raised critical questions about maritime security, the role of the Houthis in the Yemeni conflict, and their connections with Iran and the broader resistance axis.Ensuring maritime security cannot be achieved in isolation from the littoral states. Moreover, the military responses to these attacks failed to reduce the frequency of such incidents. This highlights the need to explore alternative approaches and strategies that offer long-term solutions.This paper delves into the Yemeni conflict, the Houthis, and the regional elements in this crisis. It also examines maritime security challenges and proposes new approaches to address these issues while balancing the interests and stability of both global maritime trade and the littoral states.