DUBAI, July 22, 2026 — Two tankers carrying Saudi crude oil to buyers in China and India reversed course in the Red Sea after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement threatened vessels involved in trade with Saudi ports.
Shipping data reviewed by Reuters showed that the Xin Long Yang and Rodos turned toward the Suez Canal instead of continuing south through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait near Yemen. Both vessels had loaded crude at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu.
The Houthis announced what they described as a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and warned shipping companies that ve…
