Houthi militants attacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea, killing six, the first deadly strike in the Bab el-Mandeb strait in a year. The Iran-backed group announced a blockade of the waterway last month, a fresh challenge for oil shippers with the Strait of Hormuz restricted by Iran.
Just six vessels passed through Hormuz on Monday, compared to a prewar average of more than 130; Bab el-Mandeb’s throughput had already halved before yesterday’s attacks.
The disruption is reshaping global trade: Gulf states are building pipelines, demand for Latin American and US oil is rising, and ships are rerouting around Africa. China is starting the first regular Arctic container-shipping service, the “Ice Silk Road,” as global warming clears the route.
