Houthi Blockade Halts Key Global Oil Shipments
On July 20, Houthi forces initiated a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait to vessels. This led the Chinese VLCC Tanker Xin Long Yang to reroute to Suez. The situation escalated with missile attacks on Saudi-flagged tankers, igniting fires and raising concerns over global oil supply disruptions.