Qatar suspended the shipment of tankers with liquefied natural gas through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Why did Qatar stop the gas supply
According to the Bloomberg agency, at least five Qatari-operated liquefied natural gas vessels bound for the strait in the southern Red Sea have been stopped since Friday.
Three tankers stopped off the Oman coast, one in the Red Sea and the other in the Mediterranean near the Suez Canal.
A joint military force comprising the US and UK navies has advised merchant ships to stay away from the danger zone in the southern Red Sea following airstrikes against the Houthis.
At least three major oil tanker operators have said they will avoid the area.
The Houthis have so far not attacked gas-carrying vessels since they began harassing ships in mid-November, but Qatar's reluctance to allow transit through the strait underscores the sharp rise in risks following the US-led strikes.
Bloomberg added that Qatar is one of the world's biggest LNG exporters. It was among the few gas suppliers that continued to use the Red Sea to send fuel to Europe.
Rising risks could delay supplies of fuel for heating and power plants to Europe, but are unlikely to lead to shortages in the near term. The region is well stocked, industrial demand remains subdued and the winter has been relatively mild so far. European basic gas prices are trading near the lowest level since August, the publication summarizes.
The EU plans for a military operation in the Red Sea
According to Politico journalists, the European Union is preparing a military operation to ensure the safety of commercial vessels in the Red Sea.
Journalists of the publication refer to the European Service of Foreign Affairs document.
According to it, the EU should plan an operation covering the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
It is noted that the operation can begin already at the end of February.
Anonymous European diplomats told reporters that this plan will be discussed at the European Union Committee on International Policy and Security meeting next week.
It is unknown which countries will provide the warships mentioned in the plan.
There are also doubts about the support of Spain, which previously opposed plans to use the existing Atalanta operation in the Red Sea.
