Map: Iran's Ally Poised to Choke Additional 10 Percent of Oil Trade by Sea
Summary
The Yemeni group Ansar Allah (Houthis), allied with Iran, has taken control of Yemen's Red Sea coast, including the Bab el-Mandeb strait. This move threatens about 10 percent of the world's oil trade by sea and could disrupt global shipping routes, especially since the Strait of Hormuz is also under pressure from Iran.Key Facts
- Ansar Allah, a Yemeni group supported by Iran, now controls the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
- Bab el-Mandeb is a narrow waterway between Yemen and Djibouti, linking the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea.
- About 8.1 million barrels per day of oil and petroleum products pass through this strait, roughly 10% of global maritime oil trade.
- The Bab el-Mandeb is an important alternative route because Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Even making the area dangerous could raise shipping costs and cause longer delivery times by forcing ships to reroute around Africa.
- The Red Sea route also handles 30% of the world's container shipping before the current conflicts.
- Conflict has damaged Saudi Arabia’s east-west oil pipeline, which connects its east and west coasts.
- Traffic through the Suez Canal, a critical shipping route, has dropped due to this conflict and risks further disruption.
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