Houthi Attack Disrupts Ship Traffic Through Key Middle East Chokepoints
A recent attack by Yemeni Houthis on Saudi oil installations has disrupted ship traffic through key Middle East chokepoints. According to data from Kpler, only eleven commodity vessels passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Sunday, the lowest level in months. The disruption is part of a larger conflict between the US and Iran that has already affected oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz.
The attack by Houthis aimed to blockade Saudi exports, causing prices of physical crude cargoes in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa to jump to two-month highs last week. Despite the pause in strikes by the US and Iran, fewer than 10 commodity vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily over the weekend.
The disruption has affected major oil shipping routes, with seven vessels transiting on Sunday, including three Iranian-linked oil products tankers that exited the Strait. The data also showed that only three vessels passed through the Strait on Saturday, with their transponders switched off.