[Express] Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said the Houthi movement had attacked two Saudi Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) in the Red Sea on Wednesday morning, one of which sustained minimal damage.
A statement issued by Mr al-Falih's ministry said: "Saudi Arabia is temporarily halting all oil shipments through Bab al-Mandeb Strait immediately until the situation becomes clearer and the maritime transit through Bab al-Mandeb is safe."
the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which means 'gate of tears' in arabic, has islands in it and the maximum channel is only about 16 miles wide- a lot of oil goes through there, although not as much as the Straits of Hormuz |