Bab al-Mandeb Strait falls quiet as war disrupts vital shipping route

The Bab al Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime gateway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and connecting shipping routes to the Suez Canal, has become unusually quiet amid the war and growing security threats in the region. A normally busy shipping corridor now shows little sign of commercial vessels, with Djiboutian naval patrols and military aircraft the main visible presence. The strait separates Djibouti on the African side from Yemen on the Arabian side, with the Djiboutian side offering deeper waters and being considered more secure. Despite the strategic importance of the passage, no breaches or security incidents have been recorded in the area visited by the Al Jazeera team, while international coalition warships are not visibly present. The sharp decline in commercial shipping highlights how the conflict and insecurity have disrupted one of the world's most important trade routes. Al Jazeera Mohammed Taha Tawakkol reports from the Bab al Mandeb Strait. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #Yemen #Djibouti #YemenWar #BabAlMandeb #RedSea #GulfOfAden #Djibouti #GlobalShippingCrisis #GlobalTrade #SuezCanal #MaritimeSecurity #Houthis #AnsarAllah #SaudiArabia