New York, New York - The UN Security Council has passed a resolution calling for an end to attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen on merchant ships in the Red Sea.

Since the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked ships with any real or perceived Israeli connection in the Red Sea, with the US scrambling to defend vessels.

They have vowed to only let freighters delivering aid to Gaza to pass through and are demanding an end to the mass slaughter of Palestinians.

The document adopted in New York on Wednesday condemns the attacks and calls for their "immediate cessation."

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Eleven countries including the US voted in favor, while Russia, China, Algeria and Mozambique abstained. The vote was postponed by a few hours at short notice because Russia had tabled several amendments, all of which were rejected.

The US has so far single-handedly blocked multiple attempts to pass a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in the war.

Around 10% of all global trade passes through the Red Sea, which is connected to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, making it the shortest sea route between Asia and Europe. But large shipping companies are now increasingly avoiding it, as regional tensions caused by Israel's unrelenting attack on Gaza reach boiling point.

The alternative route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa adds at least two weeks to transport times.