Houthi Attacks Disrupt Red Sea Shipping and Oil Transport

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities have led to a sharp decline in shipping traffic through the Bab al-Mandab strait, a critical chokepoint for international trade. Data released Monday revealed only eleven merchant ships transited the strait off Yemen's coast on Sunday, the lowest figure in months.

Shipping in the Red Sea has been disrupted since last week by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia. Their stated goal is to block Saudi exports, a move that risks escalating the conflict between the United States and Iran, which has already impacted oil deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz. This potential dual blockade is placing pressure on global energy markets.

A Houthi military spokesperson claimed the group attacked Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu on Saturday. Of the eleven ships passing through Bab al-Mandab on Sunday, seven were oil tankers. These included two very large crude carriers (VLCCs) heading to Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port and one vessel linked to Russia.

Four ships exited the Red Sea, including a Hong Kong-flagged VLCC carrying two million barrels of Saudi and Emirati crude oil destined for China. The Bab al-Mandab strait, meaning "Gate of Tears" in Arabic, is a vital route for global energy supply, especially as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which has faced blockades. Saudi Arabia relies on this route to transport oil to its Asian customers. Before the current disruptions, Aramco transported up to seven million barrels daily via an overland pipeline across the Arabian Peninsula.

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The group attacked Saudi Aramco facilities in the cities of Jizan and Yanbu.