Shipping Traffic Collapses at Two Key Chokepoints

Strait of Hormuz traffic has fallen to a new low while Houthi attacks in the Red Sea deepen the sense that two of the world’s most sensitive shipping lanes are under pressure at once.

Quick Take

Reuters reported that Bab el-Mandeb traffic fell after Houthi attacks on Saudi oil sites, while Hormuz stayed unusually low.
Kpler data showed fewer than 10 commodity vessels a day crossing the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend.
Reuters said just two vessels crossed Hormuz on one later day, showing the slump did not end quickly.
Iran has denied it is shutting the strait, saying safe passage remains possible under its rules.

Traffic Drops Across Two Chokepoints

Shipping data showed a sharp decline in traffic through both the Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz after the latest Houthi attacks. Reuters said the Bab el-Mandeb saw only 11 commodity vessels on Sunday, its lowest level in months, while fewer than 10 commodity vessels a day crossed Hormuz over the weekend. The timing matters because these routes handle a large share of regional energy and cargo flows.

The pattern did not stop with one day of disruption. Reuters later reported that traffic through Hormuz fell to just two vessels on a Wednesday, down from eight the day before, while Bab el-Mandeb also dropped sharply. That kind of movement suggests shipowners are reacting fast to risk, even when no formal closure has been declared. In practice, a chokepoint can become hard to use long before any official shutdown.

Why Shipowners Are Pulling Back

The reporting points to fear of attack, not only physical blockage. Reuters said the latest decline followed Houthi strikes on Saudi oil installations and that the group wanted to blockade Saudi exports. Reuters also reported earlier that traffic through Hormuz had already fallen to a two-month low after renewed United States and Iran strikes raised safety concerns. In this market, even a short burst of violence can trigger longer rerouting decisions.

That helps explain why the drop can look bigger than the number of attacks alone. Shipping firms also watch insurance costs, charter terms, and whether crews think a route is worth the risk. Lloyd’s List Intelligence said Hormuz traffic remained sharply lower in the middle of July, and shipowners often alter plans before a crisis gets worse. Once that behavior starts, traffic numbers can fall even if the waterway stays technically open.

Iran’s Counter-Claim And The Evidence Gap

Iran has pushed back on the idea of a closure. Public statements attributed to Iranian officials said the Strait of Hormuz remains open, that non-hostile vessels may pass safely, and that transit can proceed with coordination under Iranian rules. Those claims matter, because they show Tehran is trying to frame the issue as managed access rather than a total shutdown. They also leave a gap between Iran’s message and what shippers are actually doing.

Only eight vessels tracked in Strait of Hormuz as shipowners avoid waterway
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The number of vessels tracked passing through the Strait of Hormuz dropped to a one-week low of eight on Tuesday, according to shipping data.

Kpler data showed Tuesday’s total of eight vessels was… pic.twitter.com/VyFnYbqAwv

— The Cradle (@TheCradleMedia) August 12, 2026

For now, the strongest evidence supports a simpler conclusion: repeated attacks and rising regional tension are depressing traffic through two of the world’s most important maritime lanes. The public record in this package does not prove the attackers’ internal strategy beyond dispute, but it does show a real-world effect that can be felt far beyond the Middle East. Higher shipping risk means higher costs, slower supply lines, and more pressure on energy markets already on edge.