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A Houthi rebel fighter patrols with a vehicle-mounted machine gun in Sanaa, Yemen, on the 4th (local time). Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned in a televised speech of escalation amid rising tensions in the Middle East and criticized U.S. policy in the region. / EPA-Yonhap

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on the 8th (local time) declared a full ban on Israeli-linked vessels in the Red Sea and announced military attacks, heightening tensions in global logistics and energy markets. The move, coming amid Iran’s ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for over three months, is expected to add further strain to global shipping networks, Reuters reported.

Since the outbreak of war on February 28, the Strait of Hormuz—through which about 20% of global seaborne crude oil passes—has been effectively blocked, paralyzing energy exports from the Persian Gulf region.

The main alternative route that had been easing market shock was Saudi Arabia’s onshore pipeline system. Saudi Arabia has transported crude oil produced along the Persian Gulf through pipelines crossing the mainland to the Yanbu export terminal on the Red Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz and shipping several million barrels per day abroad.

However, with the Houthis signaling restrictions on the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—the gateway to the Suez Canal—even this last alternative route is now under threat. Energy market experts warn that the already constrained global energy supply chain due to the Hormuz blockade could face a near-total disruption if Red Sea risks intensify.

A Houthi source told Reuters that blocking Israeli vessels in the Red Sea is only the first step, adding that “if the situation escalates, further measures will be taken, including blocking all ships bound for Israel.”

UK maritime risk management firm Vanguard said the announcement is not directed at all vessels but is limited to “Israeli-linked ships.” However, the shipping industry remains cautious, noting that the Houthis have previously struck civilian vessels with no direct link to Israel.

An industry official said many shipping companies are expected to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope despite higher fuel costs and logistical delays in order to avoid rising insurance premiums, given the ambiguity in the Houthis’ vessel identification criteria.

                                                                                                           Lee Jung-eun