These are monthly timelines for the year 2024 of the Red Sea crisis, which began on 19 October 2023.
January 2024
On 4 January, just hours after the warning, Houthis launched an unmanned surface vessel (USV) towards US Navy and commercial vessels, but it detonated well over from the ships.
On 7 January, the Houthi movement stated that retaliatory attacks against the US Navy would continue unless the US handed over the Navy service members who killed the 10 Houthi attack boat personnel for them to stand trial in Yemen. On 7 January, the Pakistan Navy deployed two s, and Taimur in the Arabian Sea following "recent incidents of maritime security."
On 10 January, a large-scale attack was initiated by the Houthis against , , , and , in which at least 21 UAVs and missiles were launched.
On 11 January, US Navy SEALs raided a ship off the coast of Somalia which was bound for the Houthi militants. Iranian-made missile components and other weapons, including air defense parts, were seized from the ship. The ship was then sunk and its crew of 14 people detained. During the raid, a SEAL was pushed into the water by high waves and one of his teammates jumped in after him, causing both of them to go missing. Both SEALs were declared dead by the US military after a 10-day search failed to locate them.
On 12 January, the US and UK conducted airstrikes against over a dozen Houthi targets in Yemen with the support of multiple other countries, just hours after the group's leader vowed that any American attack on its forces would "not go without a response". The strikes were the first time Houthi targets in Yemen were targeted since the beginning of the Red Sea crisis. More than 150 munitions and Tomahawk missiles struck 28 locations within Houthi-controlled areas. The Houthis said five of their fighters were killed and six others were injured. A day later, the US performed another strike on a Houthi radar site in Sanaa. On 14 January, American and British airstrikes were reported in Hodeida, and spy planes were reportedly spotted near the area. Reports also suggested that Israel was involved in the attacks. The US issued a denial the same day.
On 14 January, Houthis fired an anti-ship cruise missile from Hodeida in the direction of USS Laboon. The missile was shot down by a fighter jet before it could cause damage.
On 16 January, the US struck four Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles as they were being prepared to target ships in the Red Sea. The following day, a fourth round of US strikes hit 14 missiles across Houthi-controlled areas. On 22 January, in the eighth round of strikes against Houthis, the US and UK conducted airstrikes against eight Houthi targets in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield.
On 21 January 2024, the French frigate joined defence operations in the Red Sea after transiting through the Suez Canal, reinforcing French assets deployed in the area in the face of Houthi attacks against international shipping.
On 24 January, Houthi claimed to have attacked US destroyers and other warships in the Red Sea. This attack supposed to be in response to Operation Poseidon Archer. Houthi claimed to have directly hit a US destroyer with a missile during the attack. This attack was denied by the United States government.
On the night of 26 to 27 January, the came to the aid of an oil tanker on fire in the Gulf of Aden, alongside Indian and American destroyers and . The fire suffered by the Marlin Luanda tanker was caused by a missile fired from Yemen. It was brought under control after 20 hours, with no casualties sustained.
On 29 January, Danish frigate departed from the Korsør naval base for the Red Sea to assist the US-led coalition in safeguarding commercial traffic against Houthi attacks. On 31 January, top European Union diplomat Josep Borrell announced that the bloc plans to start a naval mission to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea within the following three weeks, and officials stated that seven EU member states were prepared to provide military equipment. An adviser to Borrell stated that the mission's launch date should be 19 February. Borrell added that the mission would be called 'Aspides', which translates to 'protector'.
February 2024
On 2 February, the Houthis claimed that they had fired a ballistic missile towards Eilat. The IDF also said that the Arrow defense system intercepted a missile over the Red Sea. On 3 February, a day after conducting airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, the US and UK conducted strikes against 36 Houthi sites, which included underground facilities, UAV storage and operation sites, missile systems, radars, and helicopters in 13 different locations across Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen in an attempt to degrade their capabilities. Houthi official Mohammed Al-Bukhaiti stated that they would "meet escalation with escalation" in response to the bombings.
On 8 February, the German frigate departed from Wilhelmshaven for the Red Sea with about 240 people on board in order to assist the upcoming EU mission.
On 10 February, Houthi official media listed the names of 17 fighters that were killed during joint US–UK strikes. The announcement came following public funerals held in Sanaa.
On 15 February, the US Army announced that the Coast Guard seized a vessel originating from Iran and was bound for Houthi-controlled Yemen on 28 January. The US Army said the vessel was carrying advanced weapons and other "lethal aid". It had more than 200 packages containing ballistic missile and naval drone components, explosives, communications gear, and anti-tank missile launcher parts.
On 19 February, the European Union announced the start of the naval mission Operation Aspides, which plans to send warships and provide early airborne warning systems to the Red Sea and surrounding waters. The launch was confirmed by Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani. France, Germany, Italy and Belgium all announced their intention to contribute to the operation. Operation Aspides will be headquartered in Larissa, Greece. The operation is not allowed to attack pre-emptively, and will only fire on Houthis if they attack first. The operation will only operate at sea, and will not conduct or participate in military strikes. The same day, Houthis claimed they shot down an MQ-9 Reaper drone over the Red Sea. US officials confirmed the incident, adding that the drone belonged to the US Air Force and crashed off the coast of Hodeidah.
On 20 February, France announced that one of its warships shot down two Houthi UAVs over the Red Sea, while CENTCOM announced the downing of ten bomb-carrying drones and a cruise missile targeting USS Laboon. Houthis claimed that they attacked Eilat and a number of American warships in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea with drones.
On the morning of 22 February, two UAVs targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea were stated to have been intercepted yet again by one of the French FREMM frigates in the area. Later that day, the Houthis' Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center sent statements to shipping insurers and firms announcing a formal ban on vessels owned or partially owned by Israeli, British, or American entities or individuals in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea. The ban also included vessels sailing under the flags of the mentioned nations. The statement came as the Houthis launched drones and ballistic missiles targeting Eilat and an American destroyer in the Red Sea, though none of them struck their target according to authorities. However, the Houthis successfully fired two missiles at a Palau-flagged cargo ship named Islander which sparked a fire and wounded one sailor on board the vessel, though the ship continued its transportation route. Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi also said in a statement that operations in the Red Sea and surrounding waters were continuing, escalating and effective, and announced the introduction of "submarine weapons" without giving further details.
On 24 February, the US and UK conducted their fourth round of joint airstrikes, hitting 18 Houthi targets across eight locations. The British Ministry of Defense said that four Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets, supported by two Voyager tankers, participated in the strikes. The Houthis' official news agency said the attacks killed a civilian and injured eight others, making them the first civilian casualties during US and British airstrikes.
On 26 February, damages were reported to Red Sea undersea communications cables. Initial reports by industry sources, African press, and Israeli press, tied this to Houthi attacks that was predicted by international press, while Seacom was unable to confirm the cause, they later confirmed the location of the damage to be in Yemeni maritime jurisdictions. Press releases by Seacom and Flag Telecom were describing the difficulty of repair due to the crisis in shipping. Houthi leaders denied involvement. The same day, Greece approved a decision to send the Greek frigate to the Red Sea to assist Operation Aspides. Also on 26 February, the German frigate Hessen launched two SM-2 missiles at an American Reaper drone in a friendly fire incident. The missiles missed their target, falling into the sea.
On 27 February, Houthi leader Mohammed al-Houthi said they will only allow a salvage operation to take place if humanitarian aid is sent to Gaza Strip. On the same day, German frigate Hessen intercepted two Houthi drones as they targeted the naval vessel, making it the German Navy's first naval engagement of Operation Aspides. The Hessen downed one drone with her 76mm cannon and a second with her CIWS system. The Rubymar, which was struck by the Houthis earlier in February started sinking while drifting northwards and sank by 2 March 2024.
March 2024
On 2 March, during Operation Aspides, the Italian destroyer shot down a Houthi missile over the Red Sea. The missile was within of the destroyer before it was shot down.
On 4 March, Houthi Telecommunications Minister Misfer Al-Numair said that vessels entering Yemeni waters would need a permit from the Houthi-controlled Maritime Affairs Authority.
On 4 March 2024, , deployed to the Gulf of Aden, responded to a request from MSC Sky II, a Liberian flagged container vessel, that had reportedly been attacked by a drone or missile, at about 1900 h (IST) on 4 March, southeast of Aden. The ship's master reported smoke and flames onboard following the attack. INS Kolkata was quickly redirected to provide the required support, and by 2230 hours (IST), it had reached the incident site. Kolkata then escorted the ship from the area of the incident into the territorial seas of Djibouti at the master's request. Early on 5 March, a 12-person specialised firefighting team from Kolkata boarded the Sky II and extinguished the remaining fires. In addition, an explosive ordnance disposal team boarded MSC Sky II to evaluate residual risk. The 23-person crew, 13 of whom were citizens of India, were safe, and the ship continued sailing towards its next destination.
On 8 March, Finland announced they will send up to five officers to the European-led Operation Aspides and up to two soldiers to take part in the US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian. The Royal Netherlands Navy also confirmed the same day that it would be sending to the Red Sea. The frigate would be a part of Operation Prosperity Guardian but also support Operation Aspides. The frigate is manned with 200 sailors. She has a NH90 maritime attack helicopter on board and is equipped to intercept incoming missiles and drones. The Netherlands also announced its intent to send a joint logistics support vessel to the Red Sea in the following month.
On 9 March, the French FREMM Alsace patrolling the Gulf of Aden under the newly launched EU Aspides mission, as well as French Mirage 2000-5 stationed in Djibouti, intercepted four Houthi UAVs threatening commercial transit that day.