07-27-2018, 10:47 PM
*** 28-Jul-18 World View -- Saudi Arabia suspends Red Sea oil shipments after Yemen Houthi missile strikes tanker
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Saudi Arabia suspends Red Sea oil shipments after Yemen Houthi missile strikes tanker
****
![[Image: g180727b.jpg]](http://Media.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g180727b.jpg)
File photo of vessels sailing in Bab al-Mandeb Strait
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, temporarily suspended all
oil shipments through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which controls access
to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean.
The announcement was made after Saudi oil tankers were attacked by
missiles launched by the Houthis in Yemen. It's believed that the
missiles were supplied by Iran. The Iran-backed Shia Houthis, which
represent about 15% of Yemen's population, invaded and took control of
Yemen's capital city Sanaa in late 2014, driving out the
Saudi-supported Sunni government. A war began in March 2015, which
the Saudis claimed they would win quickly. However, the war is still
going on three years later, with no end in sight.
On Wednesday, the Saudi oil company Saudi Aramco issued the following
statement:
<QUOTE>"As confirmed a short while ago by the Saudi Minister
of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, H.E. Khalid Al-Falih,
two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), each with a two million
barrels capacity, operated by the Saudi National Shipping Company,
Bahri, and transporting Saudi Aramco crude oil were attacked by
terrorist Houthi militia this morning in the Red Sea. One of the
ships sustained minimal damage. No injuries nor oil spill have
been reported.
In the interest of the safety of ships and their crews and to
avoid the risk of oil spill, Saudi Aramco has temporarily halted
all oil shipments through Bab El-Mandeb with immediate effect. The
Company is carefully assessing the situation and will take further
action as prudence demands."<END QUOTE>
Saudi Arabia has been sending 600,000 barrels a day of crude oil from
the Persian Gulf to buyers in Europe and North America.
Saudi Arabia says that the closure is temporary, and there are
currently no plans to permanently close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, but
if it were closed then tankers would have to take a much longer trip
by traveling around the southern tip of Africa. For example, a voyage
from Saudi Arabia to Rotterdam takes about 22 days via the Bab
el-Mandeb and Suez Canal, compared with 39 days around Africa,
According to one analyst, the announcement had already added $1 to the
cost of a barrel of oil on stock markets.
Bab al-Mandeb is a very important shipping lane, and permanent closure
would have much greater consequences than just the price of oil.
Egypt, Europe and the United States would have to intervene, according
to one analyst:
<QUOTE>"They have significant interests in protecting the
freedom of the seas through the passageway. An international
intervention against the Houthis may be just what Saudi Arabia
wants."<END QUOTE>
The Houthis have also claimed that on Thursday they struck Abu Dhabi
international airport in United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a drone.
However, UAE officials deny that such an attack occurred. Saudi Aramco and Bloomberg and Al-Jazeera and Press TV (Iran)
****
**** Saudis renew airstrikes on Houthis in Yemen's Hodeidah seaport
****
The Saudi-led coalition launched heavy air strikes on Houthi targets
in Hodeidah seaport in Yemen on Friday. The Saudis had agreed to stop
the airstrikes on July 1, at the request of the United Nations, to
give the UN envoy an opportunity to negotiate with both sides and
reach a ceasefire.
On June 13, Saudi Arabia and UAE launched a "catastrophic" assault on
Port Hodeidah in Yemen, to regain control of it from the Houthis, who
had captured it in 2015. The Saudis expressed the hope that the
attack on Hodeidah could convince the Houthis to sue for peace in the
proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
However now, six weeks later, the battle for Hodeidah has ground to a
halt. The Houthis had been much better prepared for the battle than
the Saudis had expected. The Houthis had heavily planted landmines,
and positioned snipers everywhere. The Saudis had simply
underestimated the Houthis.
The Houthi missile attack on the Saudi oil tankers has changed the
scope of the war somewhat, since it's now a more international war
than it had been. The Saudi-UAE coalition is using the missile attack
as justification to resume the airstrikes on Hodeidah, and by closing
the Bab al-Mandeb strait, they may hope to receive additional
international support for the war. Al-Jazeera and Reuters and Middle East Eye
Related Articles:
KEYS: Generational Dynamics,
Generational Dynamics, Yemen, Houthis, Iran, Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, UAE, Hodeidah, Sanaa,
Bab al-Mandeb, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Persian Gulf,
Saudi Aramco
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Saudi Arabia suspends Red Sea oil shipments after Yemen Houthi missile strikes tanker
- Saudis renew airstrikes on Houthis in Yemen's Hodeidah seaport
****
**** Saudi Arabia suspends Red Sea oil shipments after Yemen Houthi missile strikes tanker
****
File photo of vessels sailing in Bab al-Mandeb Strait
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, temporarily suspended all
oil shipments through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which controls access
to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal from the Indian Ocean.
The announcement was made after Saudi oil tankers were attacked by
missiles launched by the Houthis in Yemen. It's believed that the
missiles were supplied by Iran. The Iran-backed Shia Houthis, which
represent about 15% of Yemen's population, invaded and took control of
Yemen's capital city Sanaa in late 2014, driving out the
Saudi-supported Sunni government. A war began in March 2015, which
the Saudis claimed they would win quickly. However, the war is still
going on three years later, with no end in sight.
On Wednesday, the Saudi oil company Saudi Aramco issued the following
statement:
<QUOTE>"As confirmed a short while ago by the Saudi Minister
of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, H.E. Khalid Al-Falih,
two Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs), each with a two million
barrels capacity, operated by the Saudi National Shipping Company,
Bahri, and transporting Saudi Aramco crude oil were attacked by
terrorist Houthi militia this morning in the Red Sea. One of the
ships sustained minimal damage. No injuries nor oil spill have
been reported.
In the interest of the safety of ships and their crews and to
avoid the risk of oil spill, Saudi Aramco has temporarily halted
all oil shipments through Bab El-Mandeb with immediate effect. The
Company is carefully assessing the situation and will take further
action as prudence demands."<END QUOTE>
Saudi Arabia has been sending 600,000 barrels a day of crude oil from
the Persian Gulf to buyers in Europe and North America.
Saudi Arabia says that the closure is temporary, and there are
currently no plans to permanently close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, but
if it were closed then tankers would have to take a much longer trip
by traveling around the southern tip of Africa. For example, a voyage
from Saudi Arabia to Rotterdam takes about 22 days via the Bab
el-Mandeb and Suez Canal, compared with 39 days around Africa,
According to one analyst, the announcement had already added $1 to the
cost of a barrel of oil on stock markets.
Bab al-Mandeb is a very important shipping lane, and permanent closure
would have much greater consequences than just the price of oil.
Egypt, Europe and the United States would have to intervene, according
to one analyst:
<QUOTE>"They have significant interests in protecting the
freedom of the seas through the passageway. An international
intervention against the Houthis may be just what Saudi Arabia
wants."<END QUOTE>
The Houthis have also claimed that on Thursday they struck Abu Dhabi
international airport in United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a drone.
However, UAE officials deny that such an attack occurred. Saudi Aramco and Bloomberg and Al-Jazeera and Press TV (Iran)
****
**** Saudis renew airstrikes on Houthis in Yemen's Hodeidah seaport
****
The Saudi-led coalition launched heavy air strikes on Houthi targets
in Hodeidah seaport in Yemen on Friday. The Saudis had agreed to stop
the airstrikes on July 1, at the request of the United Nations, to
give the UN envoy an opportunity to negotiate with both sides and
reach a ceasefire.
On June 13, Saudi Arabia and UAE launched a "catastrophic" assault on
Port Hodeidah in Yemen, to regain control of it from the Houthis, who
had captured it in 2015. The Saudis expressed the hope that the
attack on Hodeidah could convince the Houthis to sue for peace in the
proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
However now, six weeks later, the battle for Hodeidah has ground to a
halt. The Houthis had been much better prepared for the battle than
the Saudis had expected. The Houthis had heavily planted landmines,
and positioned snipers everywhere. The Saudis had simply
underestimated the Houthis.
The Houthi missile attack on the Saudi oil tankers has changed the
scope of the war somewhat, since it's now a more international war
than it had been. The Saudi-UAE coalition is using the missile attack
as justification to resume the airstrikes on Hodeidah, and by closing
the Bab al-Mandeb strait, they may hope to receive additional
international support for the war. Al-Jazeera and Reuters and Middle East Eye
Related Articles:
- Saudi coalition claims to have captured airport in Yemen's Hodeidah (20-Jun-2018)
- Saudi Arabia and UAE launch a 'catastrophic' assault on Port Hodeidah in Yemen (15-Jun-2018)
- Saudi Arabia sacks its top tier of military commanders as Yemen war drags on (27-Feb-2018)
- Iranian advisors are 'on the ground' with Houthis in Yemen, supplying weapons and intelligence (06-Jan-2018)
- Brief generational history of South Yemen (29-Jan-2018)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics,
Generational Dynamics, Yemen, Houthis, Iran, Saudi Arabia,
United Arab Emirates, UAE, Hodeidah, Sanaa,
Bab al-Mandeb, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Persian Gulf,
Saudi Aramco
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
