Red Sea shipping slows after Houthi hits on Saudi Arabia
Shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb strait has declined following Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. Data indicates a broader disruption in regional maritime trade, compounding existing supply chain issues in the Strait of Hormuz.
Why it matters
Disruptions in these critical maritime chokepoints have direct implications for global oil prices and international energy security.
Ship traffic through Bab el-Mandeb fell on Sunday (July 26, 2026) after Yemeni Houthis attacked Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast, while transit through the Strait of Hormuz stayed low over the weekend, shipping data from Kpler showed on Monday (July 27, 2026).
Eleven commodity vessels passed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Sunday (July 26, 2026), the lowest level in months, the data showed.
Red Sea traffic has been disrupted off the coast of Yemen since last week by the Iran-aligned Houthis, who want to blockade Saudi exports, expanding the U.S.-Iran conflict that has already choked oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz.
ALSO WATCH A Red Sea blockade could change the course of the Iran war | The Hindu Editorial
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