All articles tagged with #bab el mandeb
Saudi Arabia redirected millions of barrels to the Yanbu port on the Red Sea to offset potential Hormuz disruption, but Iran-backed Houthis entering the war threaten to close Bab el-Mandeb. Losing Yanbu’s flow or a blocked strait could push Brent higher—potentially to $150+ per barrel—while Asia would bear the brunt, with ships rerouted via longer paths and costs rising for insurers, freight, and energy.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed to ships not granted passage and warned of a severe response, sending crude prices above $110 a barrel. The regime also hints it could target the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, which handles about 10% of world oil, raising the prospect of broader supply disruption. The move comes as the UAE seeks to form an international Hormuz Security Force to reopen the strait, while analysts warn oil could spike toward $200 a barrel by June; Yemen’s Houthi movement remains a potential escalator, though active involvement is not confirmed.
Iran-backed Houthis threaten to close Bab el-Mandeb, a crucial Red Sea strait that carries about 10% of global oil and gas, compounding disruptions from Hormuz and potentially pushing crude prices toward $150 a barrel; while the Houthis have paused but warned of escalation, analysts warn that a closure could force rerouting via Yanbu and dramatically raise energy-security risks across markets.
Iran and its Yemen-based Houthi allies have warned they could target Red Sea shipping, potentially locking the Bab el-Mandeb strait and disrupting routes that carry about 10% of the world’s oil and 20% of containers, as U.S. actions against Iran intensify. The Houthis released a threatening video and said all options are on the table, signaling a broader asymmetric warfare tactic against Gulf partners, with analysts noting the region’s shipping chokepoints are a key leverage point and oil prices have risen amid the tension.
Houthi terrorists launched attacks against U.S. warships, including the USS Stockdale and USS Spruance, in the Bab el Mandeb strait using drones and missiles, which were successfully intercepted without causing damage or injuries. The attacks followed U.S. airstrikes on Houthi facilities in Yemen. The Houthis also claimed to have targeted the USS Abraham Lincoln, though there is no evidence to support this.