Sanaa, July 21 -- At least five commercial vessels and some others carrying Saudi crude oil, turned back before reaching the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on Tuesday after Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants threatened to block Saudi-linked shipping through the strategic waterway which controls roughly 10% of the total global oil and gas flows.
Maritime tracking data reviewed by CBS News showed four tankers and one cargo vessel reversing course prior to their entry into the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Among them were two fully laden crude oil tankers departing Saudi Arabian ports. One was bound for China, while the other was headed to Pakistan.
A third vessel, carrying oil or chemicals, was travelling from Saudi Arabia to Oman. A fourth, an empty vehi...