Sanaa, Yemen. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement is ready to strike the Red Sea waterway again in solidarity with Tehran, a Houthi leader told Reuters, a move that could deepen the global oil and economic crisis linked to the Middle East war.
Potential target: Bab al-Mandab Strait
If the Houthis open a new front, a potential target would be the Bab al-Mandab Strait off Yemen’s coast, a key shipping chokepoint that controls sea traffic toward the Suez Canal after Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz.
Houthi stance and readiness
Iran’s Shi’ite allies in Lebanon and Iraq have joined the regional war unleashed by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran, but the Houthis have not yet entered the conflict. The group is heavily armed and capable of striking Gulf neighbours and disrupting maritime navigation around the Arabian Peninsula.
“We stand fully militarily ready with all options. As for other details having to do with determining zero hour they are left to leadership and we are monitoring and following up with the developments and will know when is the suitable time to move,” the Houthi leader said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the topic.
“Until now Iran is doing well and is defeating the enemy every day and the battle is going in its direction. If anything contrary to this happens then we can assess,” the leader said.
Diplomatic and analyst assessments
Some diplomats and analysts said the Houthis may be waiting for an opportune moment to enter the conflict, in coordination with Iran, to exert maximum pressure. They cited the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz to Gulf Arab hydrocarbon exports and a shift to heavy reliance on the Red Sea as a possible opportunity.
Iranian warning cited by Tasnim
Iran could open a new front in the Bab al-Mandab Strait if attacks are carried out on Iranian territory or its islands, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim cited an unnamed Iranian military source as saying on Wednesday.
Strategic importance of the waterway
Bab al-Mandab, known as the “Gate of Tears” for its perilous navigation conditions, is the southern outlet of the Red Sea between Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula and Djibouti and Eritrea on the African coast.
It is among the world’s most important routes for seaborne commodity shipments, particularly crude oil and fuel from the Gulf bound for the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal or Egypt’s SUMED pipeline, as well as commodities bound for Asia, including Russian oil.
How do you think renewed attacks in the Bab al-Mandab Strait would affect global shipping and energy prices?
