Two Key Oil Shipping Routes Face Conflict at the Same Time

Iran said it attacked ships in the Strait of Hormuz on July 21, 2026, following new U.S. strikes on Iranian soil. The day before, Houthi fighters announced a blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb strait are narrow channels that oil tankers pass through. Two of the world's three busiest are now caught in conflict simultaneously.