Two Saudi Crude Tankers Clear Bab el-Mandeb as Hormuz Traffic Slows Further

Summary

Two tankers laden with Saudi crude transited the Bab el-Mandeb strait over the weekend of August 1-2, 2026, Reuters reported on August 3, while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed further under the U.S. blockade. The southern Red Sea route has become a critical relief valve for Saudi barrels that can reach the Red Sea coast via the East-West pipeline, bypassing the Gulf entirely. The pattern reinforces the strategic weight now attached to Suez and Bab el-Mandeb security, days after the drone strike on gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port.