Shipping data show impact of Houthi threats on Red Sea traffic

Thursday 23 July 2026 - 08:30

By: Azzat Manal

Shipping data show impact of Houthi threats on Red Sea traffic

Maritime data indicate that growing security concerns linked to Houthi threats are beginning to affect shipping routes through the Red Sea, with several oil tankers reportedly avoiding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait following warnings of attacks on vessels in the strategic waterway.

According to shipping information cited by Reuters, five oil tankers changed course on Wednesday to avoid passing through Bab el-Mandeb. Three other oil tankers carrying crude and bound for China and India reportedly turned back from the strait a day earlier.

A maritime security source also told Reuters that an oil tanker issued a distress call after reportedly coming under a missile attack in the Red Sea on Wednesday evening. The incident has added to concerns among shipping companies about the risks associated with navigating one of the world's most important maritime corridors.

However, shipping data showed that two large Chinese-flagged tankers carrying a combined four million barrels of Saudi crude were still heading toward Bab el-Mandeb on Thursday to leave the Red Sea. Their planned passage is being closely watched amid concerns over the potential impact of Houthi threats on international maritime traffic.

The developments come after the Houthis announced attacks against Saudi oil tankers using drones and missiles. The group has also threatened to impose a maritime blockade affecting Saudi Arabia, raising fears that the situation could further disrupt commercial shipping and energy supplies.

US officials have reportedly warned that an attempt to enforce such a blockade could broaden the regional conflict and place additional pressure on American military resources deployed in the area.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a critical shipping route linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean. Any prolonged disruption could force vessels to take longer alternative routes, increasing transportation costs, delivery times and insurance premiums.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said that any threat against a vessel flying the Pakistani flag would be considered a threat to the country's national security, adding that Islamabad reserves the right to respond.

The latest developments highlight the growing security challenges facing international shipping in the Red Sea, where heightened geopolitical tensions continue to influence maritime routes and raise concerns over the stability of global energy supplies.