Bab el-Mandeb

Shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz remained stable at the start of the week, with 20 vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, including 12 tankers and eight bulk carriers. The movement of vessels occurred amid ongoing uncertainty about peace talks between the United States and Iran.

Six Saudi supertankers have altered their course in the Gulf of Aden, avoiding the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint due to threats from the Houthis. The tankers, returning empty from Asian ports, are now heading toward southern Africa instead of the usual route.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz dropped 77% day-on-day to five vessels, all using the Iranian Unilateral Scheme, while Bab el-Mandeb maintained steady traffic with 47 crossings. The decline in Hormuz traffic reflects reduced operational confidence amid ongoing US-Iran tensions.

Six Saudi oil tankers are rerouting around Africa instead of using the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint due to Houthi rebel threats disrupting Red Sea shipping.

Yemen's Houthis are considering imposing fees on maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb gateway, according to a Reuters report. Saudi Arabia has used this route as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blocked for US-allied vessels since March. The Houthis recently attacked a Saudi tanker, and the potential fees could pressure the Trump administration to end its war on Iran.

The Houthis are considering imposing fees on maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb gateway, escalating tensions in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has used this route as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blocked for US-allied vessels. The Houthis also announced a maritime embargo on Saudi Arabia, attacking a Saudi tanker and citing alliances with Iran.

A drone strike in Egyptian waters damaged two gas tankers, raising security concerns about the Suez Canal and the Sumed pipeline, critical oil export routes for Saudi Arabian oil since the Iran war began. The attack follows ongoing Houthi and Iranian attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, though Egypt's routes were previously considered safer.

Houthi rebels in Yemen attacked Saudi oil facilities, prompting Saudi and U.S. strikes on Iran-backed groups in Iraq. Iran has fired missiles at Jordan and targeted ships in Egypt, escalating tensions linked to the U.S.-Iran conflict over the Strait of Hormuz. The situation has intensified with multiple fronts opening, including a Houthi blockade in the Red Sea and reduced shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb strait.

Oil prices remained stable despite renewed US-Iran attacks and a drone strike in Egypt that damaged two ships. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb is severely disrupted, with Qatar scrambling to secure LNG supplies and the Houthis considering transit fees.

Arabia Saudita ha intentado evitar un conflicto regional por cinco meses, enfrentando ataques de Irán, grupos iraníes en Iraq y los hutíes en Yemen. Recientemente, aviones saudíes y estadounidenses atacaron el este de Iraq, mientras los hutíes amenazan un bloqueo en el estrecho de Bab el-Mandeb, afectando las exportaciones petroleras saudíes.

The number of vessels passing through Bab el-Mandeb increased to 28, a four-day high, while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained low, according to Kpler shipping data. The rise comes amid optimism about a potential resolution to the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Yemen's Houthi Movement aims to replicate Iran's Hormuz Strait strategy in the Red Sea by disrupting shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb. Yemen's Foreign Minister-designate Afrah Al-Zouba stated the Houthis are emboldened by an insufficient international response.

Ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb decreased after Yemeni Houthis attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast. Eleven commodity vessels passed through the strait on Sunday, the lowest level in months, while transit through the Strait of Hormuz remained low over the weekend.

A Hong Kong-flagged supertanker bound for Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu performed a U-turn before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint. The decision followed recent attacks by the Houthis, who are enforcing a blockade targeting ships linked to Saudi Arabia.

US forces launched strikes on Iran for the thirteenth consecutive day, targeting military infrastructure to counter threats to maritime traffic after Houthi rebels attacked Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The conflict has disrupted shipping routes, causing oil prices to surge and tankers to reroute around Africa to avoid blockaded chokepoints like Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz.

A Greek tanker carrying Saudi crude exited the Red Sea with its transponder off, while another Chinese vessel headed toward Bab el-Mandeb as Houthi attacks heightened risks for commercial shipping.

The U.S. and Iran exchanged airstrikes in the Gulf and Jordan, escalating tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration seeks emergency funding for the conflict, while Iran's attacks on shipping and infrastructure have driven up oil prices. Houthi rebels in Yemen also targeted the Bab el-Mandeb strait, disrupting global supply routes.

The Houthis have deployed missiles and drones to attack ships in the southern Red Sea, according to a naval group. These attacks threaten to disrupt millions of barrels per day of Saudi crude oil exports through the Bab el-Mandeb.

The US and China forces are guarding the Bab el-Mandeb oil chokepoint, which is a critical maritime lane. The Djibouti base cluster highlights its strategic importance, though rivals must keep it open without joint defense.

The article compares military strategy to chess, analyzing how Iran counters U.S. actions in the Persian Gulf by shifting pressure to shipping lanes, oil markets, and regional politics rather than direct military confrontation. It references historical conflicts like the Tanker War during the Iran-Iraq War and current tensions over chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and potential threats to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Quds Force chief Esmail Qaani announced a new 'security belt' of the Axis of Resistance stretching from the Strait of Hormuz to Bab el-Mandeb and the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea. He highlighted growing coordination among Iran-aligned groups and warned of collective responses to Israeli and US actions in the region.