Riyadh, June 11 — Avia.pro. The international crude oil market faces the threat of a major supply crisis due to a sharp increase in tensions in the Red Sea.

According to Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia's ability to bypass the closed Strait of Hormuz has until recently been the main stabilizing factor in the fighting in Iran. However, this alternative logistics corridor has been threatened after the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen announced a complete ban on shipping and their willingness to attack them as legitimate military targets.

According to the analytics firm Ambrey, shipping volumes through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait increased significantly during the Iranian conflict, as Riyadh used the waterway to ensure uninterrupted supplies from its Yanbu terminal. Experts warn that if large-scale Houthi attacks on civilian tankers resume, Saudi Arabia will lose its last safe artery for hydrocarbon exports.