Six Saudi oil tankers are sailing away from the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint and appeared to be embarking on an unusual trip around Africa as threats from Houthi rebels upend shipping in the Red Sea. Bypassing the shorter route through Bab el-Mandeb for a safer trip around Africa will likely add at least two weeks to the tankers’ journey. The threat by Iran-backed Houthi militants to attack vessels that call at Saudi ports in the Red Sea has forced shipowners to reconsider sailing through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb strait. Two empty VLCCs entered the Red Sea via Bab el-Mandeb on July 30 after previously delivering shipments in waters near Hormuz. Around 26 commodity vessels crossed Bab el-Mandeb in either direction on July 30, while only two ships visibly transited Hormuz, according to data from Kpler.