Story perspectives

U.S. Reroutes 100 Ships as Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb Disrupted

By Drooid · Sep 13, 2026, 2:18 PM UTC · How we work

Center

Houthi Takes Perim

In September 2026 Iran and allied forces disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
U.S. Central Command reported that U.S. forces blocked all unauthorized ships and rerouted about 100 commercial vessels in the past 60 days.
On Sept 11 the Yemen-based Houthi militia seized Perim Island, gaining control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Houthi attacks cut Saudi oil flow through Bab el-Mandeb to 128,000 barrels per day in August.

Left

Iran Disrupts Shipping

Iran and allied forces disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in September 2026.
The disruption lifted crude prices above $100 a barrel and strained global economies, highlighting the human cost of the blockade.
Iran’s ministry announced a meeting in Oman with GCC ministers and Iraq to manage traffic.
An Iranian vessel was hit near Qeshm Island, killing one crew member and wounding four.

Blindspot

U.S. Central Command reported that U.S. forces have blocked all unauthorized ships and rerouted roughly 100 commercial vessels in the past 60 days.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Center-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Left-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

In the 1988 tanker war, Iran and Iraq attacked ships, prompting United States to begin Operation Earnest Will in March 1987 and launch Operation Praying Mantis in 1988, after which escorts protected tankers through Strait of Hormuz. The September 2026 seizure of Perim Island by Iran and Houthi forces, blocking the Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz, mirrors those chokepoint clashes and forced US Central Command to reroute vessels.

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Houthi Takes Perim

In September 2026 Iran and allied forces disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
U.S. Central Command reported that U.S. forces blocked all unauthorized ships and rerouted about 100 commercial vessels in the past 60 days.
On Sept 11 the Yemen-based Houthi militia seized Perim Island, gaining control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Houthi attacks cut Saudi oil flow through Bab el-Mandeb to 128,000 barrels per day in August.

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