Commercial tankers reroute in Red Sea as Houthi threats escalate

Ship-tracking data shows that at least four commercial tankers changed course in the Red Sea on Wednesday after threats from the Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist militia in Yemen.

The diversions came two days after the Houthis announced a naval blockade targeting Saudi Arabia amid growing military tensions between the United States and the Iranian regime.

The threats are already disrupting traffic along one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes. The Houthis specifically warned commercial vessels against using Saudi ports, prompting shipping companies and naval authorities to reassess security risks in the region.

“The threat of Houthi hostile actions against Saudi Arabia … has begun to have an overall effect on tanker activity,” the ship broker Clarksons stated.

“There are reports of several tankers, having loaded in Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port in the Red Sea, that have shifted course towards the Suez Canal rather than sail south towards the Bab el-Mandeb strait, while others are holding their positions waiting for further instruction,” it added.

The European Union's Aspides naval force warned in an advisory on Wednesday that the threat level is elevated for vessels linked to the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, all viewed by Tehran as key adversaries.

The EU body advised ships calling at Saudi ports to “reduce its electronic footprint by minimizing AIS (ship-tracking) transmissions and limiting any publicly accessible digital information that could facilitate targeting.”

Tracking data also showed that three oil tankers carrying Saudi crude bound for China and India changed course in the Red Sea on Tuesday, heading toward the Suez Canal while avoiding the Houthi-controlled Yemeni coast.

Saudi Arabia's Red Sea export terminals are viewed as an important alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently partially blocked by Iran. The Houthi blockade targeting Saudi ports is therefore seen as a significant threat to commercial shipping and has raised concerns about potential supply disruptions.

“This [Houthi] embargo raises serious questions about the viability of eastbound routes from Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port – the outlet for its east-west pipeline,” the ship broker Braemar assessed.

The Houthis began attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea shortly after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The group, which openly calls for Israel's destruction, said the attacks were carried out in solidarity with Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza.

The United States assessed as early as December 2023 that the Iranian regime was “deeply involved” in coordinating Houthi attacks on commercial shipping in the region. The Houthis have also launched multiple ballistic missiles and drones at Israel during nearly three years of war.

“Iranian support throughout the Gaza crisis has enabled the Houthis to launch attacks against Israel and maritime targets, though Iran has often deferred operational decision-making authority to the Houthis,” the then White House National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson said at the time.

Following the American-brokered Gaza ceasefire in October 2025, the Houthis announced they would halt attacks on international shipping. However, the Iranian regime has reportedly instructed both the Houthis and Hezbollah to prepare for a possible escalation in the ongoing conflict with the United States.

The new Houthi threats against ships calling at Saudi ports are widely seen as part of Tehran's asymmetric military strategy. “They warn all vessels intending to proceed to Saudi ports that they will be open targets,” one shipping source stated, referring to updates received from a ship in the Red Sea area.