Red Sea shipping drops after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil sites, data shows

Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to its lowest level in months on Sunday after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil installations, with only 11 commodity vessels passing. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz also remained low over the weekend.

Ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait dropped sharply on Sunday, with only 11 commodity vessels passing — the lowest level in months — following Houthi attacks on Saudi oil installations along the Red Sea coast. The Houthis, aligned with Iran, have expanded their campaign to blockade Saudi exports, escalating the broader US-Iran conflict that has already choked oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz. Of the 11 vessels, seven were oil tankers, including very large crude carriers (VLCCs) heading to Yanbu to load Saudi crude and a Russian-linked ship. Four vessels exited the Red Sea, carrying crude to China, Pakistan, and other destinations. The Houthi military spokesperson said the group struck Saudi Aramco sites in Jizan and Yanbu on Saturday. Meanwhile, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained low over the weekend, with fewer than 10 commodity vessels passing daily, despite a pause in US-Iran strikes.