Dozens of vessels navigate the Bab el-Mandeb Strait despite Houthi rebel threats. Growing uncertainty forces ships to alter courses and execute U-turns. Recent attacks on oil tankers threaten global commerce and already strained supply lines. Disruptions in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz expose a quarter of global oil. Benchmark crude prices are rising as risks escalate in the region.

Houthi militia warnings are causing tankers to change course in the Red Sea. Two vessels altered their destinations to the Suez Canal after the blockade declaration. European…

Five tankers have rerouted to avoid Bab el-Mandeb as fears grow that Red Sea disruptions could further raise oil prices, impact shipping routes, and strain US military resources.