<div><img src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/07/24/multimedia/2026-07-22-aden-ship-traffic-index/2026-07-22-aden-ship-traffic-index-facebookJumbo.jpg" class="ff-og-image-inserted"></img></div><p>Dozens of ships continue through the Red Sea after a blockade was declared by an Iranian-backed militia, though many vessels have halted or reversed course as uncertainty grows about the safety of the passage.</p><p>Several oil tankers have been attacked in the Red Sea this week, and some ships have turned back or altered routes that were intended to reach markets in India, China, and beyond.</p><p>The blockade, if effective, would further disrupt global trade already strained by broader Middle East conflict, with the Strait of Hormuz also largely shut amid escalated confrontations between the United States and Iran.</p><p>Saudi Arabia has rerouted substantial volumes of oil via a pipeline to the Red Sea, with most exports passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait near Yemen. The militia’s announcement on Monday targeted ship activity from Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s largest oil exporters.</p><p>Nearly a dozen ships attempting to enter or leave the Red Sea have turned back since the blockade was proclaimed, according to maritime data firm Kpler, though there is no comprehensive picture due to vessels turning off location transponders to avoid detection.</p><p>Despite the disruption, some traffic through the Bab al-Mandab Strait increased briefly, with 43 ships crossing on Thursday, up from 35 the day before, following reports of missile and drone attacks on two Saudi oil tankers.</p><p>There have been prior disruptions in the Red Sea, including attacks linked to broader regional tensions; some shippers are now considering the longer, more costly route via the Suez Canal, which cannot accommodate fully loaded supertankers without transferring cargo en route, straining available vessels.</p><p>Analysts warn that rising tensions in the Red Sea, alongside reduced activity around the Hormuz region, risk about a quarter of the world’s oil supply, contributing to a volatile market. Brent crude prices rose to around $100 per barrel this week, the first time in about two months.</p>
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