economicJul 21, 2026

BBC World Service - Global News Podcast, New threat to global oil supplies

Summary

New threat to global oil supplies Iran-backed Houthis announce blockade of Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, compounding the turmoil caused by the conflict between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Houthis in Yemen are seeking to broaden the impact of the US-Iran war with a blockade of Red Sea ports. The Tehran-backed group warned it would impose an "embargo" on the top oil exporter Saudi Arabia, after the two sides traded fire for the first time in years. Disruption to maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb could further compound the turmoil caused by the confrontation between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Also: Donald Trump announces 50% tariffs on Canadian goods. Italy's struggle with childhood obesity. How 3D-printed batteries could change the ability to store renewable energy from solar and wind. What will the UK's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham's foreign policy look like? The social media influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate appear in court in the US in connection with new British rape and sex-trafficking-related charges. And how fitness trackers can alert women that they are pregnant before they know it themselves. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: [email protected] Photo: Aramco tanks and oil pipe at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia Credit: REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah/File Photo Featured - . Podcast - Global News Podcast The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens

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New threat to global oil supplies Iran-backed Houthis announce blockade of Saudi shipping in the Red Sea, compounding the turmoil caused by the conflict between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz. Houthis in Yemen are seeking to broaden the impact of the US-Iran war with a b…

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Jul 21, 2026economicUnverifiedUSIsraelIranProxy

Asian refiners look to Suez Canal to move Saudi oil amid Houthi shipping threats

○ 1 source

Asian refiners have sought alternative routes for crude shipments from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port on the Red Sea, including via the Suez Canal and around Africa's Cape of Good Hope, after Houthi forces in Yemen stated they would impose a naval blockade.

Ship-tracking data showed at least one vessel reversing course westward and reduced transits through the Strait of Hormuz in recent days. Analysts have noted that these routes could add up to four weeks of transit time and raise freight costs compared with standard paths.

Location: Strait of Hormuz

CNA

Jul 21, 2026economicUnverifiedProxy

Houthi blockade threatens Saudi oil export routes — expert

○ 1 source

On July 20, Yemen’s Houthi movement announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia, accusing the kingdom of exploiting Yemeni oil resources. The Saudi-led coalition stated on July 21 that it had begun protective measures for commercial vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and described the Houthi actions as piracy.

An International Crisis Group analyst assessed that disruptions to routes including the East-West pipeline and Bab el-Mandeb could raise Saudi security costs and affect global energy supplies if extended to the Strait of Hormuz.

Location: Strait of Hormuz

CurrentsAPI

Jul 17, 2026economicUnverifiedIran

Most Gulf area economies face deeper downturns this year on Hormuz disruption

○ 1 source

A Reuters poll of economists conducted July 7-16 shows that most Gulf Cooperation Council economies are now projected to contract more sharply in the current year than estimated three months earlier, with median forecasts indicating declines of 8.1% for Kuwait and Qatar, 5.

1% for Bahrain, and 0.5% for the UAE. Saudi Arabia and Oman remain the only GCC economies expected to expand. The poll links the revisions to reduced export volumes through the Strait of Hormuz, higher freight costs, and weaker investor sentiment, even as oil prices have risen.

Location: Arak

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Jul 16, 2026economicUnverifiedIran

Strait of Hormuz Tanker Traffic Erodes Further as Oil Prices Rise

○ 1 source

Initial reports indicate that a limited number of vessels transited the waterway during the first full day after the United States implemented a naval blockade of Iran. These observations have not been independently verified.

Location: Strait of Hormuz

Jenny Gross and Katie Robertson