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Yemen’s Houthis threaten Bab el-Mandeb closure, putting another trade chokepoint at risk
Yemen’s Houthis said that they have closed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Saudi-linked shipping in retaliation for the kingdom’s blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on the international airport in Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa, the Guardian reported on Wednesday. The claim is to have forced six ships to reroute on Tuesday, but there was no independent confirmation.
A declared blockade of Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi rebels has the potential to widen the Iran war and further disrupt global oil supplies and international trade. Bab el-Mandeb is a vital shipping chokepoint, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Arabia. Around 12% of the world’s trade passes through the narrows.
On Tuesday, a handful of oil tankers appeared to pause their journeys as they approached Yemeni waters heading into the Red Sea. The Iran-backed group sent an email to shipowners warning against calling at Saudi Arabia’s ports.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday vowed to respond if Houthi militants in Yemen disrupted that waterway but didn’t specify how.
Market reaction
At the time of writing, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is up 0.58% on the day at $84.75.
