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Bab al-Mandab Strait — key oil route facing growing Houthi threat

Started 10 Sept, 11:57 3 events Updated 11h ago
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  1. Security10 Sept, 11:57

    Bab al-Mandab Strait — key oil route facing growing Houthi threat

    London, United Kingdom

    Yemen’s Houthis have launched a major ground assault around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea chokepoint that has become vital for Saudi oil exports during the Middle East war. With hundreds dead in fighting, and the Houthis exchanging strikes and counter-strikes with Saudi Arabia, AFP examines the flashpoint waterway that is normally one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. ‘Gate of Tears’ Known as the “Gate of Tears” in Arabic because of its history of shipwrecks, the strait sits at the southern tip of the Red Sea, connecting it with the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean. About 100 kilometres long and just 30km wide at its narrowest point, it separates Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula from Djibouti and Eritrea on the Horn of Africa. Strategic trade route With the Red Sea linking maritime trade between Europe and Asia, the strait is usually one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Oil tankers and cargo ships use it to reach the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, shortening journeys between Asia and Europe and North America by thousands of kilometres. In 2024, as the Houthis attacked Red Sea shipping during the Gaza war, Suez Canal traffic fell sharply and has yet to recover, according to IMF PortWatch data analysed by AFP. Total transits dropped from 26,895 vessels in 2023, or 73.7 per day, to 14,498 in 2024 and 14,070 in 2025. The Houthis, claiming to act in solidarity with the Palestinians, were attacking ships that they said had links to Israel. Average transits for January-August 2026 stood at 40.8 vessels per day, still little more than half the pre-crisis level. The Houthis do not control the coastal areas bordering Bab al-Mandab, but they hold the large port city of Hodeida further north. On Monday, a Yemeni military source told AFP they had seized the coastal city of Mokha. Since declaring a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July, the rebels have repeatedly attacked Saudi ships in the Red Sea. They have denied that they seek to follow Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the mouth of the energy-rich Gulf, by trying to close the Bab al-Mandab or impose transit fees. Analysis by the Institute for the Study of War said the Houthis are “attacking Saudi Arabia’s ability to export oil in order to try to raise Saudi political and economic costs to an untenable level”, forcing Riyadh to halt military operations. Oil exports at risk Even before the Middle East war, the Bab al-Mandab was a major route for oil shipments, with the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) saying 12 per cent of world oil shipments transited in 2023. Although Houthi attacks during the Gaza conflict cut ship numbers dramatically, Iran’s closure of Hormuz turned the Bab al-Mandab into a vital alternative route. A map showing the locations of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal. — made using ArcGIS Saudi crude shipments from the Red Sea port of Yanbu surged after the war began, averaging around 3.8 million barrels per day between March and July — about five times their pre-war level — commodities data firm Kpler estimated. On a daily basis, that was equivalent to about 4.5pc of the crude oil processed by refineries worldwide in 2025. But shipments fell sharply to 1.5m barrels per day in August, after the Houthis resumed attacks on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea in July. Preliminary Kpler data put exports at 2.44m barrels per day in the first nine days of September, although that figure remains subject to revision. Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London, said the “biggest danger is not necessarily physical closure of Bab al-Mandab but persistent uncertainty”. “I would expect prolonged instability to suppress traffic through Suez and impose significant costs on Egypt, while adding time and expense to Europe-Asia trade,” he added. Yemen’s conflict returns The Middle East war erupted on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with strikes across the region. Then in July, the Houthis triggered a return to hostilities in Yemen when they let an Iranian plane land in defiance of Saudi control of Yemeni airspace. The government retaliated by striking the airport, with ensuing exchanges unravelling a 2022 truce in Yemen’s long-running civil war. Since then, the Houthis have declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, attacking its tankers and its territory. Now, as the group edges closer to the Bab al-Mandab, Iran and its allied groups are increasing their capacity to choke Gulf oil exports. Kreig said Houthi gains over the Bab al-Mandab would give them “extraordinary strategic leverage”. “Controlling the coast would strengthen Houthi maritime coercion, but the ability to impose risk on shipping already exists without territorial control of the strait,” he added.

    Dawn – Home
  2. Security10 Sept, 12:42

    Bab al-Mandab — key oil route facing growing Houthi threat

    London, United Kingdom

    Yemen’s Houthis have launched a major ground assault around the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea chokepoint that has become vital for Saudi oil exports during the Middle East war. With hundreds dead in fighting, and the Houthis exchanging strikes and counter-strikes with Saudi Arabia, AFP examines the flashpoint waterway that is normally one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. ‘Gate of Tears’ Known as the “Gate of Tears” in Arabic because of its history of shipwrecks, the strait sits at the southern tip of the Red Sea, connecting it with the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean. About 100 kilometres long and just 30km wide at its narrowest point, it separates Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula from Djibouti and Eritrea on the Horn of Africa. Strategic trade route With the Red Sea linking maritime trade between Europe and Asia, the strait is usually one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Oil tankers and cargo ships use it to reach the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, shortening journeys between Asia and Europe and North America by thousands of kilometres. In 2024, as the Houthis attacked Red Sea shipping during the Gaza war, Suez Canal traffic fell sharply and has yet to recover, according to IMF PortWatch data analysed by AFP. Total transits dropped from 26,895 vessels in 2023, or 73.7 per day, to 14,498 in 2024 and 14,070 in 2025. The Houthis, claiming to act in solidarity with the Palestinians, were attacking ships that they said had links to Israel. Average transits for January-August 2026 stood at 40.8 vessels per day, still little more than half the pre-crisis level. The Houthis do not control the coastal areas bordering Bab al-Mandab, but they hold the large port city of Hodeida further north. On Monday, a Yemeni military source told AFP they had seized the coastal city of Mokha. Since declaring a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in July, the rebels have repeatedly attacked Saudi ships in the Red Sea. They have denied that they seek to follow Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the mouth of the energy-rich Gulf, by trying to close the Bab al-Mandab or impose transit fees. Analysis by the Institute for the Study of War said the Houthis are “attacking Saudi Arabia’s ability to export oil in order to try to raise Saudi political and economic costs to an untenable level”, forcing Riyadh to halt military operations. Oil exports at risk Even before the Middle East war, the Bab al-Mandab was a major route for oil shipments, with the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) saying 12 per cent of world oil shipments transited in 2023. Although Houthi attacks during the Gaza conflict cut ship numbers dramatically, Iran’s closure of Hormuz turned the Bab al-Mandab into a vital alternative route. A map showing the locations of the Bab al-Mandeb strait, Strait of Hormuz and Suez Canal. — made using ArcGIS Saudi crude shipments from the Red Sea port of Yanbu surged after the war began, averaging around 3.8 million barrels per day between March and July — about five times their pre-war level — commodities data firm Kpler estimated. On a daily basis, that was equivalent to about 4.5pc of the crude oil processed by refineries worldwide in 2025. But shipments fell sharply to 1.5m barrels per day in August, after the Houthis resumed attacks on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea in July. Preliminary Kpler data put exports at 2.44m barrels per day in the first nine days of September, although that figure remains subject to revision. Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London, said the “biggest danger is not necessarily physical closure of Bab al-Mandab but persistent uncertainty”. “I would expect prolonged instability to suppress traffic through Suez and impose significant costs on Egypt, while adding time and expense to Europe-Asia trade,” he added. Yemen’s conflict returns The Middle East war erupted on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with strikes across the region. Then in July, the Houthis triggered a return to hostilities in Yemen when they let an Iranian plane land in defiance of Saudi control of Yemeni airspace. The government retaliated by striking the airport, with ensuing exchanges unravelling a 2022 truce in Yemen’s long-running civil war. Since then, the Houthis have declared a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia, attacking its tankers and its territory. Now, as the group edges closer to the Bab al-Mandab, Iran and its allied groups are increasing their capacity to choke Gulf oil exports. Kreig said Houthi gains over the Bab al-Mandab would give them “extraordinary strategic leverage”. “Controlling the coast would strengthen Houthi maritime coercion, but the ability to impose risk on shipping already exists without territorial control of the strait,” he added.

    Dawn – Home
  3. Security11 Sept, 02:50

    Key port falls as Houthis eye Red Sea gateway

    London, United Kingdom

    • Advance brings group closer to Hanish islands, Bab el-Mandab • Over 70 wounded in attacks on southern Saudi Arabia; Riyadh launches several retaliatory airstrikes across Yemen • Coalition allies regroup near Dhubab opposite Perim island SANAA: Houthi forces on Thursday seized the strategic Yemeni port city of Mocha and pushed south along the Red Sea coast towards the Hanish islands, raising fears that fighting could threaten one of the world’s most important shipping routes. The advance brings the group closer to the Bab el-Mandab strait, the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and a crucial passage for oil, fuel and international trade. The development comes at a particularly sensitive moment for global energy markets. Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on its Red Sea export route after disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz during the wider conflict with Iran. Millions of barrels have instead been shipped through the Saudi port of Yanbu. Brent crude rose as much as 4pc on Thursday, reaching about $105 a barrel, while US benchmark WTI climbed above $100 as traders reacted to the possibility of further disruption to energy supplies. The Houthi-run Humanitarian Opera­tions Coordination Centre said navigation in the Red Sea remained safe for shipping companies other than Saudi vessels. Mohammed Abdulsalam, a Houthi spok­esperson, described the group’s operations as defensive and said they would end when attacks on Yemen stopped. Yemeni government military sources said Houthi forces reached the Hanish islands after rocket attacks and an assault involving fighters transported by boat. Government forces and their allies have meanwhile been repositioning towards Dhubab, on the coast opposite the island of Perim. Both locations sit close to the Bab el-Mandab and are considered strategically important for controlling access to the strait. The Bab el-Mandab, or “Gate of Tears” separates Yemen from Djibouti and Eritrea. Oil and fuel travelling from the Gulf towards the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal pass through the waterway, as does substantial commercial traffic heading towards Asia. “Controlling the coast would strengthen Houthi maritime coercion,” Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King’s College London, said. The capture of Mocha represents a significant setback for forces aligned with Yem­­en’s internationally recognised government. Rashad al-Alimi, the head of the Presidential Leadership Council, appeal­ed for Arab and international assistance in protecting Yemen’s coastline and restoring government authority over ports and territorial waters. “The protection of Yemen’s coasts and the restoration of state control over its territory, ports and waters is a joint Yemeni, Egyptian, Arab and international interest,” al-Alimi said. Tarek Saleh, whose National Resistance Forces had controlled Mocha, said his command centre had been moved to a secure location while his forces regrouped. He acknowledged heavy losses during the fighting and accused Iran of planning and supporting the Houthi offensive. As the Houthis pressed their offensive, Saudi Arabia launched dozens of airstrikes. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said Saudi aircraft conducted 64 strikes over the past 24 hours across multiple provinces. Meanwhile, the Houthis stepped up attacks on southern Saudi Arabia. Saudi civil defence authorities issued emergency alerts in Khamis Mushait for the fourth time in 24 hours, and the kingdom reported that recent Houthi strikes wounded 73 people. Witnesses in Mocha reported fighters marching and chanting, “Death to America, death to Israel.” The advance drove many residents to flee to Aden. Mohamed, a 46-year-old who left Mocha in the middle of the night, described an “apocalyptic” atmosphere, while another fleeing resident, Mujahid Tahami, said some families fell victim to “looting by gangs as they tried to flee”. The renewed fighting has left more than 500 dead since last week, and displaced nearly 20,000 people. Yemen relapsed into war in July after the Houthis let an Iranian plane land in defiance of Saudi control of Yemeni airspace, prompting the government to strike Sanaa airport. The current clashes risk returning Yemen to the devastating civil war that began in 2014 when the Houthis seized Sanaa. Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2026

    Dawn – World

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