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Why the Houthis are threatening Red Sea shipping and what it means for oil markets

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they would ban vessels linked to Israel from transiting the Red Sea, following renewed Israeli military strikes on Iran. The move has raised concerns about global shipping security and energy flows. The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions, with markets closely watching whether the conflict could again disrupt key maritime trade routes. How big is the risk to global energy markets? Iran’s reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz following Israeli and US strikes on February 28 has already disrupted much of the Gulf’s oil and energy exports, contributing to higher prices and a broader energy shock. Saudi Arabia has since redirected more than 70% of its daily crude exports through the Red Sea port of Yanbu, making the route a critical lifeline for global oil supply and price stability. Any sustained Houthi disruption — through attacks on ships or port infrastructure — could significantl...
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Why the Houthis are threatening Red Sea shipping and what it means for oil markets

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday they would ban vessels linked to Israel from transiting the Red Sea, following renewed Israeli military strikes on Iran. The move has raised concerns about global shipping security and energy flows. The announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions, with markets closely watching whether the conflict could again disrupt key maritime trade routes. How big is the risk to global energy markets? Iran’s reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz following Israeli and US strikes on February 28 has already disrupted much of the Gulf’s oil and energy exports, contributing to higher prices and a broader energy shock. Saudi Arabia has since redirected more than 70% of its daily crude exports through the Red Sea port of Yanbu, making the route a critical lifeline for global oil supply and price stability. Any sustained Houthi disruption — through attacks on ships or port infrastructure — could significantly tighten global energy markets. A Houthi source said blocking Israeli-linked shipping is only “a first step”, warning that further escalation could lead to broader restrictions on vessels heading to Israel. During earlier attacks in the Gaza conflict, the Houthis targeted a wide definition of Israel-linked vessels, including ships owned by companies using Israeli ports, leading many shipping firms to avoid the Red Sea route altogether. Who are the Houthis? The Houthis emerged in northern Yemen in the 1990s as a religious and political movement, later becoming a major armed force. They follow the Zaydi branch of Shia Islam and gained momentum after the 2011 Arab Spring, seizing Yemen’s capital Sanaa in 2014 amid state instability. Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened militarily in 2015, viewing the group as an Iranian proxy threat. The war eventually reached a stalemate, with a fragile truce largely holding since 2022. Are the Houthis an Iranian proxy? Iran considers the Houthis part of its wider “Axis of Resistance”, alongside Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, but the relationship is less structured than with other allied groups. Unlike Hezbollah, the Houthis do not recognise Iran’s supreme leader as their highest religious authority. Read More: Yemen’s Houthi leader says group ready for escalation The United States says Iran provides the group with weapons, training, and financial support — claims the Houthis deny, insisting they develop their own arsenal. What happened during previous Red Sea attacks? After the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s military response in Gaza, the Houthis began targeting both Israel and international shipping in the Red Sea, saying they were acting in solidarity with Palestinians. The attacks severely disrupted global trade, forcing major shipping companies such as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to reroute vessels around Africa, significantly increasing costs and transit times. A Houthi source said blocking Israeli-linked shipping is only “a first step,” warning that further escalation could lead to broader restrictions on vessels heading to Israel. PHOTO: REUTERS A US-led naval mission later responded with strikes and defensive operations that intercepted hundreds of drones and missiles, though sporadic attacks continued until a ceasefire in Gaza in October 2025. What are they doing during the current Iran crisis? Unlike Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, which quickly entered the conflict with rocket and drone attacks, the Houthis have so far remained relatively restrained. Their leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said in March that forces were “ready at any moment” depending on developments. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have repeatedly warned that the group could escalate, including potentially disrupting Red Sea traffic. So far, however, Houthi actions have been limited to a few missile and drone strikes on Israel in March and April. Analysts suggest the group may be using the threat of escalation as strategic leverage, while also avoiding provoking Saudi Arabia or overcommitting to Iran’s broader regional war.

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