Houthis Threaten Vital Oil Route in Red Sea Conflict
The Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical waterway in the Red Sea, is facing growing threats from Yemen's Houthi rebels. The strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and has become a vital route for Saudi oil exports during the ongoing Middle East conflict.
With hundreds dead in fighting, the Houthis have exchanged strikes and counter-strikes with Saudi Arabia, raising concerns about the stability of global shipping lanes. The Bab al-Mandab Strait is known as the 'Gate of Tears' due to its history of shipwrecks, but it has become even more strategic since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in 2024.
According to data from IMF PortWatch, Suez Canal traffic fell sharply after the Houthis attacked Red Sea shipping during the Gaza war. Total transits dropped from 26,895 vessels in 2023 to 14,498 in 2024 and 14,070 in 2025. 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 that they had seized the coastal city of Mokha.