Houthi forces attacked Saudi tankers and military vessels in the Bab al-Mandab Strait on Monday, the group’s military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced on Telegram, marking a significant escalation that pushed Brent crude past $100 a barrel for the first time since May.
Saree said the Houthis targeted the Saudi-flagged tankers Encelia and Layla with missiles and drones. He also claimed the group struck a Saudi military ship and four escort vessels in the strait, though Saudi authorities did not immediately confirm the military ship attack. The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported an unknown projectile struck a tanker approximately 130 kilometers southwest of al-Shuqaiq on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
Strategic Chokepoint Under Pressure
The Bab al-Mandab Strait, situated between Yemen and Djibouti, connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and handles roughly 12 percent of global seaborne trade. The attack came as commercial traffic through the strait had already dropped to record lows due to months of Houthi operations against shipping.
Data from MarineTraffic showed the tanker Encelia departed the Saudi port of Yanbu on Monday, briefly pausing near Jeddah before continuing toward Bab al-Mandab. The ship began slowing shortly after 19:11 GMT and reported being Not Under Command before coming to a complete stop near the Farasan Islands, roughly 80 kilometers southwest of al-Shuqaiq.
The attacks compounded the supply disruptions already caused by the US-Iran standoff at the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has collapsed since the 60-day ceasefire expired Monday. With both major Middle Eastern chokepoints now under severe stress, oil markets priced in a worst-case scenario, sending Brent crude above $100.
Oil Markets React
The surge in oil prices compounds pressure on global consumers already dealing with elevated fuel costs from the Hormuz crisis. US gasoline prices had already hit record August levels before the Bab al-Mandab escalation. Energy analysts warned that simultaneous disruptions at both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab could cut off as much as 30 percent of globally traded petroleum from normal routes.
The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on commercial shipping since late 2023, initially targeting vessels they linked to Israel over the Gaza war. The group expanded its operations after the US-Iran conflict began in February, striking ships with no apparent connection to the conflict. The latest attacks on Saudi vessels represent a further widening of the targeting criteria, raising concerns about the security of Saudi Arabia’s own oil export infrastructure.
Sources: Reuters; UK Maritime Trade Operations; MarineTraffic; CENTCOM
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