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Oil prices jump as Houthis seize Red Sea coastline, Iran ties cited

financeSep 12, 2026625,116

Houthi forces, known as Ansar Allah, seized the Yemeni port town of Mocha and then took control of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coastline, reaching the strategic island of Perim in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The advance gives the Iran-backed rebels greater control over Bab al-Mandeb, a chokepoint that typically carries about 12 percent of global seaborne-traded oil. Satellite images showed heavy black smoke from an area of Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, which Riyadh uses to divert exports amid Strait of Hormuz closures. Heightened supply risks and related pressures from the wider war on Iran pushed oil to about $110 a barrel on Friday and sent U.S. diesel to record highs above $6 per gallon, with some California pumps displaying $9.999 per gallon. Aid agencies reported more than a thousand people killed or wounded in two weeks of fighting in southwest Yemen and tens of thousands displaced. The United States is providing Saudi Arabia with intelligence and support while, according to Axios, President Donald Trump declined a Saudi request for direct U.S. strikes against the Houthis; Iranian officials have reportedly urged the Houthis to close Bab al-Mandeb if U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure continued. Economists warned of large consumer costs: Truthout cited Moody’s Analytics estimating the Iran war has already cost the average American household about $1,650, and other figures in the article put additional gas-related costs over $100 billion.

Christopher Webb
@cwebbonline.com

THIS COULD SEND OIL PRICES THROUGH THE ROOF Hormuz is already crippled. Saudi Arabia just shut a major pipeline after drone strikes. Now the Houthis are threatening Bab el-Mandeb, the other major oil chokepoint. If that strait gets choked off too, $100 oil is the bottom, not the ceiling.

171728d ago
Quoting this
Mrs. Betty Bowers561

The Houthis only knew to target Saudi Arabia's pipeline, which bypasses the Strait of Hormuz, because Donald Trump and his pointless war taught them how important the Strait of Hormuz is for getting leverage over the United States. Donald is smart that way.

Adam Cohen (My Personal Views Only)243

This is how Trump treats his allies The Saudis-specificaly Trump's "good friend" Crown Prince MBS-apparently begged the US for help. But the Houthis ALSO spoke with Trump and asked him to stay out of it On his way to a golf tournament in Ireland-priorities, you see-Trump agreed not to intervene

Travis Reese (Against war with NATO)9

Well, invading Yemen to suppress this issue was not on my bingo card, but you can see where this could go in a not improbable and plausible scenario.

Sad Tesla Driver5

DAYmn! I'm so happy we drive EVs. F #FossilFuels - and the addicts that buy them!

Andrew Levesque4

Oil prices alone could decide the midterms….

wtfppl.bsky.social3

🛎️ ding ding ding. And the loser is . . . Everyone. Good job, you stupid effing maggots.

Pam Spaulding2

👀 JFC. Think prices are high enough now? Trump's shilling lies on how great the economy is, bribing idiot cult w/a $5,000 check. Rs have to defend this laughable BS going into midterms. Trump's options: 👉 steal it/create chaos &/or 👉 take the L, blame Rs, then Ds for not fixing 📺 t2m.co/YAqY9QnF

REPUBLICANS, STOP THE STEAL, OR WE WILL NOV. 32

TRUMP IS TAKING US BACK TO THE OIL CRISIS OF 1973! I remember gas rationing and that you could only get gas on odd or even days. Fun times!

UNCRC.bsky.social2

You cannot be fkg serious anymore America

Dollyanna2

$8 dollars a gallon? Can we FIRE TRUMP AND VANCE? Yes, if enough vote blue.

Matt Kim
@lawoftd.bsky.social

So I’m pretty sure this is to disguise naphtha shortages from the Iran War. www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/j...

133927d ago
Dean Obeidallah
@deanobeidallah.bsky.social

If you think gas prices are high because of Trump's failed war, wait until next week! Iranian drones bombed the massive Saudi oil pipeline shutting down oil flow to ports. This is huge. Trump told he us he DESTROYED Iran's military. He of course lied. Now we pay for it! www.bbc.com/news/article...

36328d ago
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