Houthi Attacks on Saudi Ships Threaten Bab el-Mandeb as Oil Climbs

As oil prices rose, analysts watched tanker traffic in the Red Sea for evidence of how far Yemen's Houthi movement can disrupt Saudi crude shipments, Al Jazeera reported. For now, the analysts said, the attacks are influencing which vessels carry Saudi oil rather than halting the flow.

The Houthis have described their actions as a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. If sustained, the campaign threatens the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a second maritime chokepoint in the global oil trade alongside the Strait of Hormuz, according to The Hindu, which examined the exposure for import-dependent economies such as India.

Together the two straits carry a large share of seaborne energy. Pressure on both at once forces shippers to weigh longer routes, higher insurance costs and slower deliveries, each of which raises the landed price of oil regardless of headline crude quotes.