Middle East Crisis Widens As Threats Grow At Two Chokepoints
A widening Middle East conflict is increasing risk for international freight, with commercial shipping now under pressure around both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The most immediate disruption is in the Gulf, where vessel traffic through Hormuz has fallen sharply following a series of attacks and reported merchant-ship incidents. Some cargo is still moving, but transit levels remain well below normal.
Recent incidents around Hormuz include:
- Tankers carrying Saudi crude attacked while leaving the Strait.
- Merchant vessels reported disabled by fire, struck near Iraq, or damaged near Oman and Dubai.
- Further Iranian claims of attacks against vessels near Hormuz, although not all have been independently verified.
At the same time, the Iran-aligned Houthis have resumed attacks on Saudi Arabia and advanced towards territory close to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – the southern entrance to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal route.
Recent developments affecting this second chokepoint include:
- Missile and drone attacks on southern Saudi cities and energy facilities.
- Reported fires and temporary operational disruption in Saudi Arabia.
- Houthi forces have captured Yemen’s port of Mokha and are reportedly operating near strategically important islands close to the Bab el-Mandeb shipping lane.
Bab el-Mandeb remains open and vessels are continuing to transit the area. However, the Houthi advance has brought their forces closer to the shipping lane and any further escalation could create significant additional pressure on the Red Sea-Suez route.
For shippers, the effects could extend beyond the vessels operating in the region. Rising oil prices will potentially increase fuel costs across ocean, air and road freight services, while carriers could face delays, diversions and capacity constraints as they reassess operating conditions.
There is no confirmed general closure of Jebel Ali or other major Gulf container ports. Nevertheless, with Hormuz already severely disrupted and risks increasing near the Red Sea, Atlantic Pacific is closing monitoring the situation.
