Iran war: Chinese tanker passes Red Sea choke point despite Houthi blockade

A pair of Chinese oil tankers exited the Red Sea together on Thursday with apparent permission from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who claimed attacks against two Saudi ships just hours earlier.

In a matter of days the price of Brent crude has jumped by more than 13%, breaching the $100 a barrel mark on Thursday after Yemen’s Houthi militias took aim at a new target: Saudi oil exports via the Bab al-Mandab strait.

Persian Gulf states are pouring billions of dollars into pipelines, rail and energy storage hubs to bypass the strait.

Yemen's Houthi fighters claim to have attacked shipping in the Red Sea – a move that threatens to further escalate the already volatile situation in the Middle East.