Weekly traffic for Saudi exports through the Bab al-Mandab Strait has fallen below 33% of the year's seven-day average since early August. China privately urged Iran to restrain the militants following a Saudi appeal, but Tehran stated that regional peace depends on ending the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. A full closure of the strait could disrupt as many as 7 million barrels of daily oil flows.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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Houthis Seize Bab al-Mandab Strait and Mokha Port to Block Saudi Oil Exports
War32 days ago
Militants from the Houthi movement took control of the strategic port city of Mokha and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, gaining authority over a critical maritime chokepoint in Yemen. Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes to stop the Iranian-backed group's advance, though Riyadh has not started a new full-scale ground operation. The militants now have a path to push east toward Taiz and Marib, which houses Yemen's largest oil and gas fields.
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