Middle Eastern Oil Producers Seek Alternatives to Hormuz Route

WHO:

AP News - Countries across the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels are involved in the current situation.

19FortyFive - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) are mentioned in relation to the conflict.

WHAT:

AP News - The state-owned oil company of Abu Dhabi is accelerating construction of a $3 billion, 300-kilometer (200-mile) pipeline to Fujairah, which aims to increase oil supplied to Fujairah by more than 1.2 million barrels a day.

AP News - The pipeline project is now reportedly about halfway completed.

AP News - The new projects to bypass Hormuz could carry an added 3.8 million barrels of oil a day by the end of next year, and 7.3 million barrels per day by the end of 2028, according to analysts at Goldman Sachs.

19FortyFive - The U.S. conducted its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military infrastructure.

19FortyFive - U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that since early May, they have helped facilitate the transit of approximately 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz.

AP News - The pipeline from Basra to Ceyhan in Turkey is expected to carry some 2 million barrels a day of oil to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas in Syria.

19FortyFive - The U.S. conducted its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, with the latest round concluding at approximately 8:15 pm Eastern Time.

19FortyFive - U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that over the past three months, Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

19FortyFive - Traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to 29 crossings on a specific day, down from 44 two days earlier and significantly below the 65-72 daily crossings recorded before the Red Sea shipping crisis began.

19FortyFive - The Houthis announced a blockade against Saudi Arabia as a response to perceived aggression from Saudi Arabia.

AP News - The pipeline from Basra to Ceyhan in Turkey is expected to carry some 2 million barrels a day of oil to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas in Syria.

19FortyFive - The U.S. conducted its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, with the latest round concluding at approximately 8:15 pm Eastern Time.

19FortyFive - At least five commercial ships altered course in the Red Sea following the Houthi blockade announcement, with three tankers carrying Saudi crude oil bound for customers in India and China reversing course.

AP News - The pipeline project is intended to be completed by early 2027, but mid-2027 is more likely due to the need to expand the port at Fujairah.

19FortyFive - The new projects to bypass Hormuz could carry an added 3.8 million barrels of oil a day by the end of next year, and 7.3 million barrels per day by the end of 2028, according to analysts at Goldman Sachs.

AP News - Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, claiming they would consider vessels trading with Saudi ports as legitimate military targets.

19FortyFive - U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that over the past three months, Iran has attacked more than 30 commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

19FortyFive - Only three commodity-carrying vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on July 21, down from four the previous day, with no very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers recorded making the crossing.

19FortyFive - Traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait fell to 29 crossings on July 21, down from 44 two days earlier and significantly below the 65-72 daily crossings recorded before the Red Sea shipping crisis began.

AP News - The new pipeline project is reportedly about halfway completed.

AP News - Approximately 15 million barrels of Persian Gulf oil were shipped daily through the Strait of Hormuz before the war in Iran.

AP News - At least seven major pipeline projects are under construction or in planning to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

AP News - The effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz could allow for 3.8 million barrels of oil per day to bypass it by the end of next year and 7.3 million barrels per day by the end of 2028.

19FortyFive - The U.S. conducted its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military infrastructure.

19FortyFive - Two Saudi oil tankers were forced to reverse course in the Red Sea due to a blockade announced by the Houthis.

19FortyFive - Only three commodity-carrying vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz on a specific day, down from four the previous day.

WHERE:

AP News - The port of Fujairah is located about 145 kilometers (90 miles) south of the Strait of Hormuz.

AP News - The Strait of Hormuz, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Mediterranean are key locations mentioned.

AP News - The port of Fujairah is located about 145 kilometers (90 miles) south of the Strait of Hormuz.

19FortyFive - The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

WHEN:

AP News - The pipeline project to Fujairah is intended to be completed by early 2027, with mid-2027 being more likely.

19FortyFive - The U.S. airstrikes occurred overnight into a specific day, with the latest round concluding at approximately 8:15 pm Eastern Time.

19FortyFive - The Houthi blockade was announced on a specific day, with actions affecting shipping in the following 24 hours.

WHY:

AP News - Gulf oil producers are seeking alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz due to Iran's control over the strait and rising oil prices.

19FortyFive - Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree announced a new “naval blockade” against Saudi Arabia, claiming it was a response to Saudi aggression against Yemen.

AP News - Gulf oil producers are seeking alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz due to Iran's control over the strait and rising oil prices.

19FortyFive - Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree announced a new “naval blockade” against Saudi Arabia, claiming it was a response to Saudi aggression against Yemen.

AP News - Gulf oil producers are seeking alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz due to Iran's control over the strait and rising oil prices.

19FortyFive - The Houthis announced a blockade against Saudi Arabia as a response to perceived aggression from Saudi Arabia.

HOW:

19FortyFive - CENTCOM assets targeted Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure to degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.

AP News - The effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz would have been an even greater shock to the world economy were it not for a pipeline Saudi Arabia built in the 1980s amid fears that Tehran would disrupt shipping through the strait during the Iran-Iraq war.

AP News - The new pipeline projects are designed to redirect oil supplies to ports on the Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Mediterranean.

19FortyFive - U.S. airstrikes targeted Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, and logistics infrastructure to degrade Iran's threat to commercial shipping.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 11:29 UTC)

Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil company is rapidly advancing a $3 billion pipeline project to Fujairah, which is expected to boost oil supply by over 1.2 million barrels a day and is now about halfway completed. Analysts at Goldman Sachs predict that this initiative, along with others designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, could enable the transport of an additional 3.8 million barrels of oil daily by the end of next year and 7.3 million barrels per day by the end of 2028. Meanwhile, the U.S. has conducted its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military infrastructure to diminish Iran's capacity to threaten commercial shipping in the region.

(UPDATED July 24, 2026 06:47 UTC)

A new pipeline from Basra to Ceyhan in Turkey is set to transport around 2 million barrels of oil daily to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas in Syria. Meanwhile, the U.S. has carried out its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military operations and logistics to diminish threats to commercial shipping. In related developments, the Houthis have declared a blockade against Saudi Arabia, responding to what they perceive as aggression from the kingdom.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 22:20 UTC)

A new pipeline from Basra to Ceyhan in Turkey is set to transport about 2 million barrels of oil daily to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas in Syria. Meanwhile, the U.S. has conducted its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, with the latest operations wrapping up around 8:15 PM Eastern Time. In response to a newly announced Houthi naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, at least five commercial ships have changed their routes in the Red Sea, including three tankers carrying Saudi crude oil that are now headed back to their original destinations in India and China.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 18:20 UTC)

Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil company is ramping up construction on a $3 billion pipeline to Fujairah, which is designed to boost oil supply to the port by over 1.2 million barrels a day. The project is expected to be completed by early 2027, although mid-2027 is more likely due to necessary port expansions. Analysts at Goldman Sachs predict that new projects aimed at bypassing the Strait of Hormuz could transport an additional 3.8 million barrels of oil a day by the end of next year, increasing to 7.3 million barrels per day by the end of 2028, as Gulf oil producers look for alternatives amid rising prices and Iran's control over the strait.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 16:25 UTC)

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched attacks on two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, declaring that they will treat vessels trading with Saudi ports as legitimate military targets. Meanwhile, U.S. Central Command has reported over the past three months that Iran has attacked more than thirty commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, with only three commodity-carrying vessels making the crossing on July 21. In response to these threats, CENTCOM has targeted Iranian military operations and infrastructure to reduce Iran's capability to threaten commercial shipping.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 14:45 UTC)

Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil company is ramping up construction on a $3 billion pipeline to Fujairah, which is set to increase oil supply by more than 1.2 million barrels a day, and the project is reportedly about halfway completed. Analysts at Goldman Sachs predict that this new pipeline, along with others designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, could transport an additional 3.8 million barrels of oil daily by the end of next year and 7.3 million barrels per day by the end of 2028. Meanwhile, following the announcement of a Houthi naval blockade against Saudi Arabia, at least five commercial ships have altered their courses in the Red Sea, including three tankers carrying Saudi crude oil that were headed to customers in India and China.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 13:28 UTC)

Countries across the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, along with Yemen’s Houthi rebels, are currently engaged in a complex conflict that has seen the U.S. conducting its 11th consecutive night of airstrikes against Iranian military targets. In response to rising oil prices and Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf oil producers are pushing forward with at least seven major pipeline projects aimed at redirecting oil supplies, with the first pipeline to Fujairah expected to be completed by early 2027. Meanwhile, the Houthi rebels have announced a blockade affecting Saudi oil tankers, forcing two vessels to reverse course in the Red Sea, as only three commodity-carrying ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz on a recent day, down from four the day before.