Houthi attacks in Bab al-Mandab Strait threaten Saudi and Chinese tankers

Houthi rebels in Yemen have stepped up attacks on commercial shipping in the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait, the narrow passage that links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and carries about a quarter of the world’s hydrocarbon traffic. On 23 July they struck two Saudi‑owned tankers, with one vessel catching fire on its bow, though no crew were injured. The rebel claim described the ships as “two Saudi tankers that violated the blockade.”

At the same time a Chinese‑owned tanker successfully navigated the strait, suggesting the Houthis are allowing some vessels to pass while targeting others. The incidents have heightened worries about oil‑supply security; global crude prices have risen past $100 per barrel as markets react to the threat to a key trade route. Oman is mediating between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, while the attacks come days after the United States and Saudi Arabia announced a civil‑nuclear cooperation programme, adding a geopolitical dimension to the maritime pressure.

The developments underline the strategic importance of the Bab al‑Mandeb for international energy flows and the risk that selective blockades pose to global shipping and oil markets.