Lloyd’s and London market marine insurers are continuing to provide cover for vessels and cargo travelling through the Red Sea despite rising political tensions and a spike in Houthi-led attacks on international shipping.

Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement vowed to continue attacking ships in the Red Sea on Friday, hours after the U.S. and U.K. carried out strikes targeting the group in Yemen in retaliation for stepped-up Houthi attacks on shipping in the vital Middle Eastern waterway. President Biden announced the U.S. and allied strikes in a statement Thursday night, which were conducted with assistance from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands.

"These strikes are in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea — including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history," Mr. Biden said, adding that he would "not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary."

A Houthi military spokesperson said Friday that the attacks — 73 in all — left at least five people dead and wounded six others. In a statement issued later Friday, the Houthi movement's Supreme Political Council vowed to continue targeting ships in the strategic waterways, adding that "all American-British interests have become legitimate targets."

It again claimed the attacks on vessels were aimed at preventing the "transit of Israeli ships or those carrying goods to the occupied Palestinian ports," and said they would carry on "whatever the cost."