Six large oil tankers flying the Saudi flag have altered their course in the Gulf of Aden in recent days, according to maritime tracking data cited by Israeli news outlet N12. The vessels, sailing empty after returning from Asian destinations, are now heading south of Africa instead of transiting the southern Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, amid Houthi threats to attack Saudi shipping.
The report published by N12 on Monday, citing maritime tracking data, indicates that six Saudi-flagged oil tankers have altered their course to avoid the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb strait. The vessels, which are currently sailing empty after completing deliveries to Asian ports, are now heading south around the African continent instead of transiting the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, a route that would bring them within range of Houthi naval forces.
The development comes amid a sustained Houthi campaign to disrupt Red Sea shipping and pressure Saudi Arabia. The Houthi movement, which controls large portions of Yemen's Red Sea coast, has declared a naval blockade on Saudi vessels and has repeatedly threatened to attack Saudi oil infrastructure. As The Zioneer has reported, the group's military spokesman claimed on Friday that eight Saudi oil tankers had already rerouted due to the blockade, though that claim remained unverified.
The Bab el-Mandeb strait is a strategic chokepoint through which a significant portion of global oil and container traffic passes. The Houthi threats have forced a growing number of commercial vessels to seek alternative routes, adding weeks of travel time and increasing shipping costs. The rerouting of these six tankers, if confirmed by independent tracking, would represent a tangible impact of the Houthi blockade on Saudi energy exports.
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