Bab el-Mandeb: Ship Traffic and Events Reported
Whether ship traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb is at its usual level, and what has been reported there — each event with how it was linked to the place.
Quick answer — the Bab el-Mandeb now
Ship transits through the Bab el-Mandeb were within its usual range in the 7 days to 11 Oct 2026. The measurement is updated weekly, so it shows a change 4 to 11 days after it happens, and it does not say whether the strait is open or closed. 37 events were linked to the Bab el-Mandeb in the last 30 days. 37 of them name the Bab el-Mandeb in the reporting, 1 of those only as the subject of a statement, market move or explainer; the rest were only placed nearby.
Ship traffic against its usual level
The 7-day average of ships passing the Bab el-Mandeb is compared with the same average over the 12 weeks before. It is outside its usual range only when it is statistically unusual against those weeks and at least 15% away. The full rule, and what a record does and does not state, are on Transit Anomalies.
Sources: UN Global Platform; IMF PortWatch (portwatch.imf.org)
Events reported at or near the Bab el-Mandeb
The last 30 days, newest first, 20 of 37 shown. Titles summarise the reporting; they are not facts this page has checked.
- Yemen Returns to Full-Scale WarArmed Conflictlast reported 19 Oct 2026Localizednamed as the target
- Tanker attacks intensify as Saudi–Houthi fighting threatens Bab el-MandebMaritimelast reported 16 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Saudi Arabia's military confrontation with HouthisArmed Conflictlast reported 16 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the location
- Saudi Arabia’s High Stakes Return To The Yemen BattlefieldArmed Conflictlast reported 14 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the subject
- Houthi Rebels Seize Control of the Bab el-Mandeb StraitArmed Conflictlast reported 11 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Saudi-backed Yemeni forces launch major offensive against Houthis, seize Bab el-Mandeb Strait areaDiplomacylast reported 10 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Houthi rebels seize Perim Island and disrupt shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb StraitArmed Conflictlast reported 9 Oct 2026Localizednamed as the target
- Yemeni forces conduct strikes in Sanaa following Aramco facility attackDiplomacylast reported 8 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Yemeni Forces and Houthi Movement Clash Over Bab el-Mandeb StraitArmed Conflictlast reported 8 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Houthi rebels attack Saudi airportsArmed Conflictlast reported 7 Oct 2026Localizednamed as the target
- Escalating Conflict in Yemen Threatens Global Trade RouteArmed Conflictlast reported 7 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Yemeni government forces claim seizure of Bab el-Mandeb Strait territory from HouthisArmed Conflictlast reported 7 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Yemen govt forces launch major operation against HouthisArmed Conflictlast reported 7 Oct 2026Localizednamed as the target
- Yemeni government forces claim to drive armored vehicles over Houthi fighters near Bab el-Mandeb StraitArmed Conflictlast reported 7 Oct 2026Localizednamed as the target
- Yemeni government claims major offensive to retake Houthi-held territory along Red SeaArmed Conflictlast reported 6 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Yemeni Government and Saudi Coalition Launch Operation to Secure Bab el-Mandeb StraitArmed Conflictlast reported 6 Oct 2026Localizednamed as the target
- Yemen: Houthis dismantle Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan rush to support - Bab el-Mandeb boilingArmed Conflictlast reported 6 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Yemeni government forces launch major offensive with over 1,100 operations against HouthisArmed Conflictlast reported 6 Oct 2026Reportednamed as the target
- Red Sea crisis escalates across both shores of Bab el-MandebArmed Conflictlast reported 6 Oct 2026Localizednamed as the location
- Houthi militia seizes Bab el-Mandeb Strait and damages East-West pipeline in the Horn of AfricaArmed Conflictlast reported 6 Oct 2026Localizednamed as the target
Seeing it from orbit
- Satellite pass prediction works out when free and commercial satellites can next image a place.
- Radar imagery works through cloud and at night; the Sentinel-1 viewer shows the most recent free pass.
- Ships that switch off their tracking signal can still show on radar. The tools for finding them are compared on dark vessel detection tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Bab el-Mandeb open or closed?▼
Can I see live satellite images of the Bab el-Mandeb?▼
How is “usual” ship traffic decided?▼
What does “named as the location” or “nearby” mean on an event?▼
Other straits and canals
- Suez Canal
- Panama Canal
- Bosporus
- Strait of Malacca
- Strait of Hormuz
- Cape of Good Hope
- Strait of Gibraltar
- Strait of Dover
- Oresund Strait
- Taiwan Strait
- Tsushima Strait
- Tsugaru Strait
- Luzon Strait
- Lombok Strait
- Ombai Strait
- Bohai Strait
- Torres Strait
- Sunda Strait
- Makassar Strait
- Strait of Magellan
- Yucatan Channel
- Windward Passage
- Mona Passage
- Balabac Strait
- Bering Strait
- Mindoro Strait
- Kerch Strait
Watch the Bab el-Mandeb
Add it to a Watchlist from its card on the Watchfloor, and be told when its transits leave their usual range and when reporting names it. Free to start.
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