A new Houthi front and expanded Iranian attacks risk sinking Gulf nations’ choke-point workaround and widening shipping risks

The ongoing war in Iran has created an expanding zone of risk for shipping, including for Saudi Arabia’s strategy of redirecting oil exports away from Hormuz.

By: Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Rice University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 3, 2026

Words: 1,408

Last Updated: 51 minutes ago

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By Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Rice University

After a nine-month pause, Houthi militants in Yemen allied to Iran resumed attacks on vessels in the Red Sea on July 22, 2026, directly targeting the group’s longtime foe Saudi Arabia. A week later, a floating liquefied natural gas storage facility in Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta was struck by suspected Iranian drones, causing a fire that spread to a nearby tanker.

As a longtime Gulf …

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