The International Chamber of Shipping reported Thursday that Yemen's Houthi movement has warned vessels they will be targeted unless they comply with a blockade decision, and that at least nine ships — including oil tankers from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port — have diverted from the Bab el-Mandeb strait after Saudi Arabia's declaration of a blockade.
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) reported on Thursday morning that Yemen's Houthi movement has been issuing warnings to vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, threatening to target them unless they comply with a blockade decision by the Houthi armed forces. The ICS said at least nine ships have already diverted from the strait following Saudi Arabia's declaration of a blockade on Yemen, including oil tankers originally bound for the Saudi port of Yanbu.
The report updates The Zioneer's bulletin from Wednesday, which noted that five oil tankers had rerouted in the Red Sea after Houthi warnings to avoid Saudi ports. The current figure of nine vessels suggests the disruption is widening as shipping companies weigh the risks.
The diversions are the latest in a series of maritime security incidents in the region. Since April, the U.S.-led naval coalition has enforced a blockade on Iran, and Houthi forces have threatened to target shipping in the Red Sea in response to the Saudi blockade. The Bab el-Mandeb strait is a critical chokepoint for global oil and trade.
The ICS report is based on a single source and has not been independently corroborated. The specific identities of the diverted ships and their current locations remain unconfirmed.
3 developments
- DevelopingHouthis announce readiness to strike vessels near Bab el-Mandeb, Reuters reports
- StrongAsian oil companies reroute tankers from Saudi Yanbu port after Houthi blockade threats
- DevelopingHouthi military spokesman declared naval blockade against Saudi Arabia
- DevelopingReports: Houthis attack vessel in Bab el-Mandeb strait
Source and signal
- Internal intake