Two Saudi crude tankers transit Bab al-Mandab despite Huthi naval campaign

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Two tankers carrying Saudi crude oil transited the Bab al-Mandab Strait over the weekend, according to shipping data from Kpler, defying a naval blockade campaign waged by Yemen's Huthi forces. The Malta-flagged Suezmax vessel Lesbos carried about one million barrels of Saudi crude, while the supertanker Desh Vibhag moved roughly two million barrels toward the Indian port of Sikka. Both vessels switched off their automatic identification systems as they exited the Red Sea. The Lesbos's final destination had not been confirmed, while the Desh Vibhag's cargo was expected to be received by Reliance Industries in India. Kpler data also pointed to the broader impact of the Huthi blockade on Saudi Arabia-bound shipping. Commercial transits through the strait fell to 18 on Sunday, down from 28 on Friday and 27 on Saturday. The operators of the two tankers, Dynacom for the Lesbos and the Shipping Corporation of India for the Desh Vibhag, did not respond to requests for comment.