DID Press: Yemen’s Ansar Allah (Houthis) says it will continue enforcing a naval blockade against vessels linked to Saudi Arabia, as escalating tensions in the Red Sea raise fresh concerns over disruptions to one of the kingdom’s key oil export routes.
According to Ansar Allah, the maritime measures are a response to what it describes as continued Saudi actions against Yemen. The group said ships associated with Saudi Arabia could face increasing restrictions while transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic gateway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
Maritime reports indicate that the heightened security risks are already affecting commercial shipping. A large oil tanker bound for Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port reportedly altered course before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb area and turned eastward. Several marine insurers have also reportedly suspended war-risk insurance coverage for ships linked to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Saudi crude oil shipments through the Red Sea have declined. According to published shipping data, crude loadings via the Bab el-Mandeb route have fallen by 36% over the past two weeks, dropping from 9.5 million barrels per day to approximately 6.1 million barrels per day.
The route has become increasingly important for Saudi oil exports following disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with the Red Sea port of Yanbu serving as a major alternative export hub.
In response, the Saudi-led coalition said it is implementing additional security measures to protect commercial vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb and warned that any threats to international shipping would be met with a firm response.
Analysts say prolonged instability in the Bab el-Mandeb could drive up shipping costs, marine insurance premiums, and global oil prices, particularly if the security situation further disrupts tanker traffic through one of the world’s most strategically important maritime corridors.