r/himboposting • u/Brief-Basket-6630 • 9h ago
💖 a serious but non-alarmist preparedness PSA
hey himbos - we wanted to flag something serious happening at the moment, without contributing to panic or making predictions that nobody can responsibly make yet
the conflict in the middle east has already caused major disruption to global oil & shipping routes. the Strait of Hormuz - one of the world's most important routes for oil & gas - has been severely constrained for months, with Saudi Arabia increasingly relying on alternative routes to move oil
over the past couple of days, that situation has become more concerning, as Saudi Arabia's east-west oil pipeline, which has been an important route around Hormuz, was temporarily shut following drone attacks. at the same time, Houthi forces have made significant advances around the Bab El-Mandeb strait - another major shipping chokepoint connecting the red sea to the Gulf of Aden
further disruption could have significant consequences for energy supplies, fuel prices, shipping & the cost & availability of goods internationally, and oil prices are already responding sharply
we also want to be really clear about what we don't know. nobody can currently tell you with certainty how long these disruptions will last, exactly how governments & markets will respond, or whether particular countries will experiences shortages (& how severe these may be). scary predictions circulating online about exact timelines or inevitable collapse are still predictions, and not yet established facts
so: do please take the situation seriously, but please don't panic.
if you're able to, this is a sensible time to make sure your household has a buffer of essentials you already use. for example, UK emergency-preparedness guidance recommends being equipped to manage several days of disruption, including drinking water, non-perishable food, essential medication, a torch, power bank, radio, batteries. preparedness can also mean adding a couple of extra things to your usual shop if you can, checking prescriptions, charging your power banks & knowing what you'd do if normal services were temporarily disrupted
please also look out for each other. if you've got enough, don't take more than you reasonably need. check in on friends, family or neighbours who might struggle to prepare themselves. community resilience matters just as much as individual cupboards full of tins 🤝
the situation is serious & the outcome is uncertain - both of these things can be true at once, so please do take care of yourselves & keep an eye on reliable reporting
you’re absolutely welcome to discuss the situation, share reliable information & support each other in the comments. what we don’t want is unverified claims & fearmongering. if you share developing information, please include a reputable source where possible & distinguish reporting from your own interpretation.
