British and American ships are tentatively returning to the Red Sea after Yemen’s Houthi rebels vowed to hold off attacks on vessels linked to both nations, a sign that traffic on one of the world’s main trade routes could normalize after more than a year of disruption.

Shipping companies expressed caution about using the shorter route between Asia and Europe that many ships have avoided for more than a year.

The world’s top three container operators said they fear instability in Gaza and broader regional tensions mean continued danger.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have signaled they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip takes hold.

A container ship has reportedly caught fire in the Red Sea. The Hong Kong-flagged vessel was said to be drifting in the southern Red Sea roughly 122 nautical miles (226 nm) northwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, during a voyage northbound toward the Suez Canal according to Diaplous Maritime Services.

The Yemeni rebel group says it will stop targeting vessels that transit the Red Sea.

Maritime security officials said on Thursday they were expecting Yemen's Houthi militia to announce a halt in attacks on ships in the Red Sea, after a ceasefire deal in the war in Gaza between Israel and the militant group Hamas.

U.S. ships are returning to the Red Sea following promises from Yemen’s Houthi rebels to abstain from attacks on American and British vessels. The pledge, which comes after more than a year of shipping traffic disruption on a major international trade route,

Top container shippers avoid Red Sea despite Houthi pledge. Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM wary of security risks in the region.