Military expert: Shipping disruption in Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb raises costs

Disruption to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb is driving up shipping costs, according to Brigadier General Rizq al-Khawaldeh, a military and strategic affairs expert.

Al-Khawaldeh said the outlook in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region remained unclear amid a continuing state of neither peace nor war.

His assessment highlighted the implications of regional uncertainty for maritime transport, with instability at the two waterways adding to the cost of moving goods.

The remarks did not include figures for the increase in shipping costs or a forecast for when navigation conditions might stabilise.