Houthi Red Sea blockade would push oil prices higher

A pump attendant fills vehicles with fuel at a gas station in Paco, Manila, on January 12, 2026, as prices are set to rise again.

Rappler

The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and is a key route for crude and fuel shipments moving between the Middle East, Europe and Asia

LONDON/HOUSTON – A successful effort by Yemen’s Houthis to shut the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would strike at one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes, potentially triggering a fresh surge in crude prices, disrupting fuel supplies and adding to strains on the global economy.

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis on Monday, July 20, declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, its military spokesperson said. A closure of the Red Sea’s southern gateway would remove a critical alternative route for the kingdom to the Strait of Hormuz and intensify fears of shortages.