Houthi Blockade of Bab al-Mandab Forces Costly Shipping Detours

The Houthi militia is actively blocking the Bab al-Mandab Strait, disrupting the shortest maritime route between Asia and Europe. This forces vessels to take longer, more expensive detours around the Cape of Good Hope, raising shipping costs and threatening global supply chain reliability. The situation is ongoing, with the full extent of economic impact still uncertain.