Port Pulse
What sources report about Red Sea & Bab el-Mandeb — every live incident, most important first.
Reports indicate that Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden have been ongoing and escalating since late September, with missile strikes on tankers off Yanbu in August and the Houthi seizure of the Red Sea port city of Mocha on 11 September cited as key recent incidents. The US Maritime Administration has urged US-flagged vessels to switch off AIS, vary routes and speeds, and limit electronic transmissions when transiting these high-risk waters, effective 23 September, while war risk premiums for Saudi-linked tankers are reported to have tripled and tanker transits through Bab el-Mandeb have fallen sharply. Multiple independent reports and a joint statement from a broad coalition of nations further describe the Houthis' advance toward Bab el-Mandeb as a heightened threat to international shipping and global trade.
The combination of active US government guidance, sharply reduced transits, and a broad multinational condemnation suggests the security environment in this corridor is unlikely to ease in the near term.
Reports indicate that Houthi drone strikes on Saudi Arabia's East–West pipeline in early-to-mid September have severely disrupted oil flows and vessel traffic through Bab al-Mandab, with the pipeline restarting only at reduced capacity after the attack. Multiple shipping and port intelligence sources report that daily vessel transits through the strait have fallen sharply from typical levels, while Houthi forces are also said to have seized strategic positions along the Yemeni coast overlooking the waterway. Insurance costs are reportedly rising and some vessels have been observed operating with AIS transponders disabled, according to these reports.
The combination of reduced pipeline throughput, Houthi territorial control near the strait, and elevated security risk suggests continued disruption to normal transit patterns until the pipeline reaches full recovery and the security situation stabilises.
Reports indicate that Houthi militants have been conducting near-daily attacks on Saudi Arabia since declaring a naval blockade on the kingdom in July, with the Red Sea port of Yanbu and nearby Saudi Aramco facilities among the targets. Multiple ballistic missiles aimed at Yanbu and other Saudi cities have been intercepted in recent days, though Houthis claim strikes on Aramco infrastructure in Yanbu have caused significant damage, raising concerns about Saudi oil export capacity through the Red Sea. France has announced it will deploy military assets including soldiers, radars, and defense systems to Yanbu in response, according to these reports.
The combination of an active naval blockade declaration, repeated missile targeting of Yanbu, and foreign military deployment to the port suggests elevated and ongoing risk to Red Sea shipping and energy export infrastructure in the near term.
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