Tankers make sharp U-turns after Houthi shipping threat
Oil tankers are rerouting away from the Red Sea following a maritime embargo threat by the Houthi group against Saudi Arabia. This disruption adds pressure to global shipping routes already strained by regional conflicts.
Why it matters
The Red Sea is a critical artery for global trade; further instability here threatens to increase energy prices and disrupt international supply chains.
By Thomas Copeland and Joshua Cheetham BBC Verify Published 1 hour ago At least seven oil tankers have made U-turns close to Yemen since the Iran-linked Houthi group announced a "maritime embargo" against Saudi Arabia on Monday, ship-tracking data shows.
All of the ships were travelling either to or from Saudi ports and made sharp changes of course after the embargo was announced.
Nearly 15% of global sea trade moves through the Red Sea, which connects the Mediterranean and Gulf of Aden through two choke points - the Suez Canal in Egypt and the Bab al-Mandab Strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa.
The Red Sea has been a key route for exports of Saudi oil since the US-Israeli war with Iran led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has severely restricted the flow of oil and gas from the Gulf.
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