Bab al-Mandeb shipping halts as Yemen conflict escalates

Photo — YUKSEL OZDEMIR / Pexels

The Bab al‑Mandeb Strait, linking the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden near Yemen and Djibouti, has effectively ground to a halt amid intensifying clashes between Houthi fighters and forces opposed to them along Yemen’s western coastline.[4] According to reports, Houthi units have taken control of strategic coastal areas and are exerting pressure on shipping lanes, prompting commercial vessels and tankers to divert around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the area.[4] Because roughly a tenth of global maritime trade transits Bab al‑Mandeb, including significant volumes of oil and container traffic between Europe and Asia, the shutdown raises the risk of higher transport costs, longer delivery times, and renewed volatility in energy markets.[4] The situation also deepens the humanitarian and security crisis linked to Yemen’s long-running war, as regional navies and international organizations assess options to secure the waterway without further escalating the conflict.[4]

Sources: Yeni Safak, China.org.cn, CNN, BBC