Houthis threaten key Red Sea route amid energy crisis
Growing Houthi pressure around Bab el-Mandeb could disrupt Saudi oil exports and further strain global energy markets
SANAA, Yemen (MNTV) — The Houthis are threatening to intensify pressure on shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, raising concerns over another major disruption to global energy supplies as the wider regional conflict continues.
The strategic waterway has become increasingly important after disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, with Saudi Arabia relying more heavily on Red Sea routes to move oil toward international markets.
The Bab el-Mandeb links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a major route for vessels traveling between the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal and European markets.
Any sustained disruption could force ships to take longer routes and increase transportation and energy costs.
The Houthis have previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and have declared restrictions on Saudi-linked maritime traffic.
Their latest actions have prompted some vessels carrying Saudi crude to alter course or avoid the waterway, according to shipping data cited in reports.
The developments come as Saudi Arabia seeks alternatives to routes affected by the disruption around the Strait of Hormuz.
The kingdom has increasingly used its East-West pipeline to transport crude to Red Sea terminals, allowing exports to continue through maritime routes toward the Suez Canal.
The potential for simultaneous disruption around Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has heightened concerns over global oil supplies.
The two waterways are among the most important maritime chokepoints connecting Middle Eastern energy producers with major Asian and European markets.
Saudi authorities have pledged to keep the Bab el-Mandeb open and warned that threats against commercial vessels would be met with military measures.
The Houthis, meanwhile, have maintained that their maritime actions are directed at Saudi-linked shipping rather than all traffic through the strait.
Any prolonged escalation could deepen pressure on already disrupted supply chains, raising shipping costs and adding volatility to international energy markets as governments and traders assess the risks to alternative oil-export routes.
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