Houthis renew attacks in Red Sea/Bab el-Mandeb, keeping transits and war-risk premiums elevated

On 23 October 2026 open-source maritime and intelligence briefs report renewed Houthi attacks around Bab el-Mandeb and sustained disruption to Red Sea transits, with Lloyd’s List Intelligence cited September transits at 1,215 vessels (47% below pre-crisis levels) and continued Cape-of-Good-Hope diversions raising voyage times and insurance premiums.

Renewed Houthi attacks sustain a war-risk premium for vessels using the Suez–Red Sea corridor, encouraging continued diversions around the Cape of Good Hope that add roughly 10–14 days to voyages. That dynamic lowers Suez Canal revenue for Egypt, raises freight and insurance costs for shippers calling East African ports (Djibouti, Eritrea) and feeds through to global shipping schedules; exact sovereign or corporate credit effects depend on duration and insurer repricing.

Next Lloyd’s List Intelligence monthly transit count or a UKMTO commercial-vessel incident notice (0–14 days).