Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el Mandeb Strait, two of the world’s most strategic maritime chokepoints, fell sharply on Wednesday after Yemen’s Houthi movement claimed missile attacks on Saudi oil tankers, raising fresh concerns over the security of global energy supply routes.
According to shipping data from Kpler, only two vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, down from eight vessels the previous day. Before the U.S. Israeli war with Iran erupted on February 28, approximately 130 to 140 ships typically passed through the waterway each day.
Traffic also dropped dramatically through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, where just one commodity vessel, a Bahamas flagged dry bulk carrier, crossed on Wednesday compared with 20 vessels a day earlier.
Stay ahead of the geopolitical week.
MD Briefing delivers expert analysis across five global fronts — the Indo-Pacific, energy, geoeconomics, European security, and the Middle East — every Monday morning. Free.
Houthis Claim Missile Attacks on Saudi Tankers
Yemen’s Iran aligned Houthi movement said it launched missile attacks on two Saudi oil tankers, one near the Red Sea port of Yanbu and another in the Gulf of Aden.
Saudi Arabia has not confirmed either attack.
The Houthis said the strikes were part of their campaign against Saudi Arabia, accusing Riyadh of maintaining a blockade on Yemen. Saudi authorities have rejected those accusations.
Maritime Security Concerns Intensify
The latest claims come as regional shipping remains under severe pressure following the broader Middle East conflict. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the outbreak of the U.S. Israeli war has already disrupted one of the world’s busiest energy corridors, while the Houthis have expanded attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
The sharp decline in vessel movements suggests that shipping companies continue to avoid the region due to elevated security risks, increasing transport costs and uncertainty over safe passage.
Analysis
The collapse in shipping traffic highlights how maritime security has become a central front in the broader Middle East conflict. Even without confirmed damage to Saudi tankers, Houthi attack claims are enough to deter commercial operators and insurers from routing vessels through high risk waterways.
If disruptions persist, energy markets could face renewed volatility as reduced shipping capacity threatens global oil and commodity supply chains. The situation also increases pressure on the United States, Gulf states and international naval forces to secure critical sea lanes, making maritime security a defining geopolitical challenge beyond the battlefield.
With information from Reuters.
