Yemen and the Red Sea

Six Saudi oil tankers divert around Africa after Houthi Red Sea threats

This version is a correction.

MOVEMENT
Location
Bab el-Mandeb Strait (avoided by diverted Saudi tankers)
Actors
Houthis · Saudi Arabia · United States
Importance
Major

Ship-tracking data showed six Saudi oil tankers sailing away from the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint on routes toward Africa or Mediterranean refueling hubs instead of the usual Red Sea corridor, after Houthi threats against ships linked to Saudi ports lengthened voyages by about two weeks.

Bloomberg (31 July 2026) reported empty VLCCs Hazm and Dilam signaling Gibraltar and Ghinah, Laynah, Salam and Burqan indicating South Africa’s Durban or Algoa Bay as waypoints for Cape/Africa diversions. The pattern follows the Houthi maritime embargo on Saudi-linked traffic and earlier attacks on Saudi Red Sea oil infrastructure. Clash Report summarized the same six-tanker diversion on 1 August. This package is the shipping diversion effect, not a new kinetic strike day.

  • Maritime: Best 6 tankers_diverted · Confidence: Confirmed · Evidence: Saudi Ships Shun Red Sea Chokepoint for Rare Africa Journey, At least six Saudi oil tankers have rerouted around Africa instead of using the Red Sea after Houthi threats · Six named Saudi oil tankers on Africa/Gibraltar diversions per Bloomberg tracking.
  • Energy: Best 1 export_route_disruption_flags · Confidence: Confirmed · Evidence: Saudi Ships Shun Red Sea Chokepoint for Rare Africa Journey, At least six Saudi oil tankers have rerouted around Africa instead of using the Red Sea after Houthi threats · Cape/Africa detour adds ~two weeks vs Bab el-Mandeb for Saudi-linked crude logistics.

Verification: Confirmed

Evidence: Saudi Ships Shun Red Sea Chokepoint for Rare Africa Journey, At least six Saudi oil tankers have rerouted around Africa instead of using the Red Sea after Houthi threats

Bloomberg ship-tracking of named Saudi tankers multi-sourced via open secondary (Clash Report); individual AIS waypoints can change as voyages progress.