Strait of Hormuz traffic plunges once again amid new wave of Houthi attacks

Crude oil and petroleum exports from the Middle East sharply dropped over the past week as Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi militias intensified their attacks on commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting regional shipping lanes.

Maritime transit in the region suffered drastically since the US and Israel's pre-emptive joint strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, followed by Tehran's effective closure of the vital waterway and a subsequent American naval blockade.

Attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz reached a new peak over the past week.

At least 14 incidents of attacks, attempted strikes, and obstructions were recorded in and around the Strait of Hormuz on Oct. 5–12, while six ships were attacked on Monday alone, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations and global maritime security sources.

Commercial vessel traffic via the strategic chokepoint fell to its lowest since July 22, affecting outward energy flows.

Oil, petroleum, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the Middle East plummeted in the wake of the war, and while there have been signs of partial recovery, intensifying security risks sparked concerns.

Houthis increased their attacks on Saudi Arabia, threatening transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.

VESSEL TRANSITS THROUGH BAB EL-MANDEB, HORMUZ HIT NEW LOW

Middle Eastern crude oil, petroleum, and liquid chemical exports — including shipments from the Gulf of Oman and the Red Sea — fell from 21.1 million barrels per day on Oct. 8 to 6.7 million barrels on Oct. 11, 10.4 million barrels on Monday, and 8.3 million barrels on Tuesday, according to Kpler.

The weekly average of 17 million barrels remained below the pre-war volume of around 23.3 million barrels per day.

Only six commercial ships were able to transit the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, while previously 32 ships passed through on Oct. 8, 24 on Oct. 9, 11 on Oct. 10, and 12 on Oct. 11.

Meanwhile, vessel transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait also dropped, with 35 vessels passing through on Oct. 8, 39 on Oct. 10, 46 on Oct. 11, and 32 on Monday.

The attempts by the Houthis to establish a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia to seize control of the Bab el-Mandeb corridor added a new volatile dimension to the wider conflict.

Large-scale supply disruptions across both the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could pressure global energy supplies and market stability even further, analysts say.