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Yemen's Houthi militia announced it will target Saudi tankers crossing the Bab al-Mandab strait, widening the West Asia conflict's impact on crude flows beyond the earlier Strait of Hormuz crisis.
Vessel crossings through Bab al-Mandab fell to an average of 31/day (from 43/day in early July), per S&P Global data; a full blockade could add up to four weeks to shipments rerouted via the Suez Canal and around Africa.
India's Russian crude imports rose from ~1 million bpd in February to record highs of 2.6 million bpd in June 2026 — over 50% of India's total oil imports — via the still-safe Suez Canal-Red Sea route.
India depends on imports for over 88% of its oil needs; Russian Urals crude, once at a $7/barrel discount, now trades at a premium as Indian refiners compete with China and Turkey for supply.
| Source | Capacity/Status |
|---|---|
| Russian crude (via Suez-Red Sea) | ~2.6 million bpd, could rise toward/above 3 million bpd |
| Saudi East-West (Yanbu) pipeline | 300,000-500,000 bpd buffer |
| UAE Murban crude (via Fujairah) | Bypasses both chokepoints; reaches India in 5-6 days |
GS Paper II/III > International Relations, Energy Security
A strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea, a critical global energy chokepoint