Recently, only 11 cargo ships passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, marking the lowest figure in recent months, while tanker activity in the Hormuz Strait remained low over the weekend, according to Reuters, citing Kpler data. The slowdown in shipping followed attacks on Saudi vessels and Saudi Aramco facilities by Houthis, who are backed by Iran.
The Houthis announced that they had struck facilities in Jizan and Yanbu. Smoke was seen rising near a refinery in Jizan with a processing capacity of up to 400,000 barrels per day, while two missiles fired towards Yanbu were intercepted by the Patriot system. Yanbu is a key route for Saudi oil exports, and new attacks could threaten another critical corridor for energy supplies.
Meanwhile, fewer than 10 cargo ships passed through the Hormuz Strait over the weekend, with only seven on Sunday, three of which were linked to Iran. Although the ceasefire in military operations between the US and Iran has entered its second day, tensions remain high. According to Reuters, Iran is prepared to refrain from further attacks if the US maintains the cessation of airstrikes. The Donald Trump administration continues to present diplomacy as the preferred route.
