DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Middle East oil producers are accelerating efforts to reroute crude exports away from the Strait of Hormuz after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claimed missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, raising fears that the region’s energy conflict is spreading to another critical global shipping corridor.
The Houthis said they targeted the Saudi oil tankers Encelia and Layla near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea. The group said the attacks were part of a newly declared naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, a move that threatens one of the world’s busiest maritime routes for oil shipments and global trade. The attacks follow weeks of escalating hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and regional allies.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a tanker operating in the area reported being struck by an unidentified projectile, resulting in a fire on board. The Houthis claimed responsibility for missile and drone strikes against both vessels, although independent verification of all claims remains ongoing.
The latest attacks have intensified concerns over global energy security because they come after months of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes. Gulf producers, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have increasingly relied on pipelines and Red Sea export terminals to bypass Hormuz. However, renewed attacks in the Red Sea now threaten that alternative route as well.
Shipping data showed that several tankers carrying Saudi crude either reversed course or delayed voyages after the Houthi threats, while insurers and shipping companies reassessed risks in the Red Sea. Analysts warned that if both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remain under threat, global energy markets could face significant supply disruptions and higher transportation costs.
Oil prices climbed sharply following the attacks and renewed fighting in the region. Brent crude approached $99 per barrel as traders priced in the growing risk of prolonged disruptions to Middle East oil exports. Economists warned that sustained increases in crude prices could fuel inflation and raise fuel costs worldwide.
The attacks mark another escalation in the wider conflict involving Iran and the United States. Since the collapse of an interim truce earlier this month, U.S. forces have continued strikes on Iranian targets, while Iran has launched retaliatory attacks against U.S. facilities and regional infrastructure. The Houthis, long backed by Iran, have increasingly linked their military operations to the broader confrontation.
Energy analysts said Gulf producers are likely to continue expanding pipeline capacity and alternative export routes to reduce dependence on the Strait of Hormuz. However, they cautioned that no existing infrastructure can fully replace the combined capacity of Hormuz and the Red Sea shipping corridor, making stability in both waterways crucial to global energy supplies.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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