Midday Mobile | Jonathan McConnell on the Red Sea, Houthis + War in the Middle East | September 16, 2026

Jonathan McConnell of Meridian US joins Sean Sullivan on Midday Mobile to break down the rapidly changing security situation in the Red Sea and the broader Middle East.Drawing on years of maritime-security experience in the region, McConnell explains why shipping traffic has been diverting away from the Red Sea and Suez Canal, how war-risk insurance can dramatically increase the cost of moving vessels through dangerous areas, and what the Houthi presence around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait means for global trade.Sean and Jonathan also discuss the Strait of Hormuz, mine-clearing operations, vessels turning off tracking systems, attacks on regional infrastructure and the challenges facing U.S. and allied forces as the conflict continues.It’s a detailed look at how events thousands of miles away can affect shipping, energy markets and international security.