Houthi Blockade Threat Could Cripple Two Key Oil Routes

A threat by the Iranian-backed Houthi group to blockade Saudi-linked ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait has raised fears of a dual crisis at the Middle East’s two most critical energy chokepoints, according to shipping analytics firm Kpler. The company warned Tuesday that a “simultaneous and prolonged disruption” of both the Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz could severely impact global oil supplies. Bab el-Mandeb, located between Yemen and Djibouti, is a narrow passage for oil tankers heading to and from the Suez Canal. The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is the world’s most important oil transit route. Kpler’s analysis highlights that the Houthi threat alone is serious, but the risk increases if both straits face blockades at the same time. Such a scenario would cut off a major portion of the world’s seaborne crude oil. The firm did not provide specific odds of a simultaneous disruption but stressed the potential for a “crisis” if tensions escalate further.