Houthi forces in Yemen are making a concerted drive to take over the country’s Red Sea coast fully, claiming control of the key port of Mocha in the most serious wave of fighting with the Saudi-backed government in years, bringing the Iran-aligned group closer to full control of a key shipping route.
Seizure of the coast and some of the islands in the sea would be a strategic disaster for Saudi Arabia and the US, taking Iran and its proxies closer to full control of two choke points for western shipping on opposite sides of the Arabian peninsula: the Bab al-Mandab at the southern end of the Red Sea and the strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.
What this means is that even with the cross-peninsula pipleline, the "Pes from the region, as the supertankers are too large.
Crude oil had sort of eased back down, but between this and the drawdown of national strategic petroleum reserves, things could get into the not good range. For example, the cost of heating oil near a port was down around $4.50/gal in late Spring, but it's now a dollar or more higher. And since most delivery companies will add a surcharge for a fill of less than 125 gallons, well, a bill of $700+ per fill will have a hell of an economic whallop.
So if you heat with oil, as you fight with your family over the thermostat, make your kids put on sweaters and sweats over their jeans, and worry about whether more vulnerable family members may get a respirator infection, remember this:
2 comments:
The cross-peninsula pipeline that was burning, and is now shutdown for an indefinite period?
Diesel prices here in California have topped $8/gallon.
An anomaly in the greatest economy in history...
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