Two tankers carrying Saudi oil exited Red Sea over weekend

Two tankers carrying Saudi Arabian crude crossed the Bab al-Mandeb strait over the weekend, according to the Reuters news agency, in a sign that oil shipments continue to pass the waterway despite a Houthi threat to blockade the kingdom.

The Iran-aligned group declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia on July 20, and launched several attacks on oil tankers in the Red Sea, opening a new front in the US-Israel war on Iran.

Reuters, citing data from Kpler, a maritime analytics firm, reported that the Malta-flagged Lesvos was carrying about 1 million barrels of Saudi crude to an unknown destination, while Desh Vaibhav, carrying two million barrels, was heading to Reliance Industries-run Sikka port in India.

Both oil tankers exited the Red Sea with their automatic identification systems switched ‌off, it said.

Overall, the data shows that the number of vessels that passed through the strait on Sunday fell to ⁠18, down from 27 on Saturday and 28 on Friday, it added.

Data firm says 22 Chinese-linked vessels have transited Bab al-Mandeb since July 20

Maritime intelligence firm Windward says “differential access rules” are visibly in effect for China-linked vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, where the Houthis declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia on July 20.

“In the Red Sea, 22 Chinese-linked vessels transited Bab el-Mandeb and called at Saudi ports between July 20 and August 2 without a single incident, while the Houthis struck four Saudi tankers in the same window,” the firm said in a statement.

A similar pattern was seen in the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has closed, it said.

A Hong Kong-flagged Very Large Crude carrier, roughly 333 metres (1,090ft) long, transited the strait outbound between July 30 and 31, maintaining continuous transmission of its automatic identification system while broadcasting its destination field as “CHINESE CREW / OWNER”.

The vessel had loaded approximately 2.14 million barrels of Basrah Medium crude at Iraq’s Al Basrah Oil Terminal between July 25 and 28, with Singapore listed as its declared destination.

Yemen issue is not linked to the war on Iran: Baghaei

Esmaeil Baghaei says the issue of Yemen is “related to the country itself”.

“We have already said that the issue of Yemen must be resolved through dialogue,” the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman told reporters.

“Linking any issue to the war against Iran is a form of evasion of responsibility,” Baghaei added.

The Iranian official stressed that the United States and its “accomplices” are responsible for the current problems in the region.

He said: “Responsibility for everything that happens in the region and beyond lies first with the US, and then with those who are accomplices of the aggressor.”

The "Saudi-Houthi file" is connected to the "Iran file" as it started with the bombardment of Sana'a International Airport by the Saudi-backed government to prevent a Houthi delegation from returning after the delegation attended Khamenei's funeral. That government created the connection.

Six Saudi tankers turn away from Aden, ship-tracking data shows

Six Saudi-flagged supertankers have changed course in the Gulf of Aden in recent days and are heading to southern Africa, amid threats by Yemen’s Houthi fighters to target Saudi Arabian shipping, ship-tracking data cited by the Reuters news agency shows.

The empty tankers returning from destinations in Asia were sailing in formation towards southern Africa, rather than opting to transit the southern Red Sea through the Bab al-Mandeb chokepoint, according to AIS ship-tracking on LSEG and MarineTraffic.

Shipping in the Red Sea has faced renewed disruption in recent weeks after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and subsequently attacked Saudi vessels, raising the threat for commercial traffic and contributing to higher oil prices.

The Houthi movement says the move is in response to Saudi Arabia’s siege on the territory it controls.