Oil Tankers Reverse Course as Houthi Embargo Threatens Red Sea Passage

Tue Sep 08 2026 22:10:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Seven oil tankers altered their course near Yemen following a Houthi maritime embargo threat, risking global oil flows and escalating regional tensions.

A sudden Houthi declaration of a maritime embargo against Saudi ports has caused at least seven oil tankers to perform sharp U‑turns near Yemen, avoiding the Bab al‑Mandab Strait. The Red Sea, which handles nearly 15% of global sea trade, is a crucial oil route for Saudi exports. Analysts warn that a prolonged block could raise freight costs and trigger higher consumer energy prices worldwide, while ships are now broadcasting armed guard crews to deter attacks. The incident adds a new layer of volatility to an already tense Yemen‑Saudi conflict that has seen intermittent shelling and missile strikes on recent years.

Oil Tankers Reverse Course as Houthi Embargo Threatens Red Sea Passage

Marine traffic data shows at least seven oil tankers made sharp U‑turns close to Yemen after the Iran‑linked Houthi group announced a maritime embargo against Saudi ports on 22 July. All of the ships were on routes to or from Saudi ports and altered their course after the embargo declaration.

The Red Sea carries nearly 15% of the world’s maritime trade, linking the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Aden via the Suez Canal and the Bab al‑Mandab Strait. Since the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed by the US‑Israeli–Iran war, Saudi crude exports have increasingly relied on the Red Sea route, reducing pressure on global markets. A further restriction of this corridor, however, could lift freight rates and push petroleum prices higher, said Rosemary Kelanic of the US‑based Defence Priorities think tank.

Ship‑tracking records show the crude oil tanker Rodos, loaded with Saudi crude, departed the Red Sea port of al‑Muajiz toward India, but after nine hours it turned around and sailed north instead of entering the Bab al‑Mandab Strait. Likewise, the Liberian‑flagged tanker Mica left Saudi Arabia’s Jazan port for the south before heading north. Other vessels bound for the Red Sea, such as the Marshall Islands‑flagged carrier Liu Jiang Kou and the Hong Kong‑flagged New Prime, also reversed course in the Gulf of Aden or Arabian Sea.

The timing of these changes coincides with the Houthi embargo announcement, which calls for a ban on loading or discharging cargo at Saudi ports and warns that ships may be targeted anywhere within their operational reach.

In response, the EU’s naval force Aspides has advised merchant vessels linked to Israeli, US, or Saudi interests to avoid the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden until the threat level eases. The risk of attacks has spurred at least 50 vessels in the region to declare armed guard crews on board, a measure used since the Houthi attacks during the Gaza war, according to MarineTraffic.

The broader conflict began in 2014 when the Houthis seized Yemen’s capital Sana’a, escalating into a Saudi‑led coalition war. Despite an informal truce since 2022, recent missile strikes on a Saudi airport by the Houthis have reignited hostilities, threatening the strategically critical Bab al‑Mandab Strait. Concurrently, Saudi Arabia has rerouted over 70% of its crude exports through the East‑West pipeline to Yanbu on the Red Sea, shipping roughly four million barrels per day in recent weeks.

Energy analysts warn that a blockage of the Bab al‑Mandab Strait would force Saudi oil to travel around the southern tip of Africa or via the Mediterranean to reach Asian markets, increasing transit time and costs. Even a temporary delay could raise freight rates and consumer prices. As the maritime threat persists, shipping companies are broadcasting armed guards to deter Houthi attacks, reflecting heightened security protocols throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Additional reporting by Barbara Metzler.