After bringing ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz to a standstill, Iran has now targeted the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea, through the Houthis in Yemen. This strategic move opens a second front against Washington and carries the potential to simultaneously jeopardize the world's two most vital energy chokepoints.
Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the Houthi political bureau, announced in a statement on Iran's Press TV website that they are ready to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if Saudi Arabia continues its attacks on Yemen. Al-Farah warned that such a step could send oil prices soaring to $200 per barrel.
Analysts assess Iran's strategy
Middle East expert Fawaz Gerges told Reuters that Iran is prepared to go all the way. Gerges said Tehran has shown Washington it can threaten both critical chokepoints simultaneously, turning the conflict into a challenge that threatens global energy trade.
Andreas Krieg from the School of Security Studies at King's College London described the latest Houthi threat as "another nuclear option" for Iran after Hormuz. Krieg warned that if Washington intensifies its strikes on Iran's critical infrastructure, Tehran could compound the economic shock by closing Bab el-Mandeb through its allies in Yemen.
The Houthis' previous attacks
After the Gaza war began in October 2023, the Houthis launched attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, saying they were targeting Israel-linked vessels in support of Palestinians. The campaign forced major shipping companies to reroute their vessels around southern Africa, driving up transport costs.
Gulf states' perception of diplomacy
Abdulaziz Sager, head of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center, said Gulf countries increasingly believe they have reached the limits of diplomacy with Iran. Sager noted that the Houthis retain the capacity to disrupt navigation in Bab el-Mandeb, but that an escalation without clear direction from Tehran is unlikely.
As U.S. strikes deep into Iran intensify, analysts note that the Houthis are escalating simultaneously, stressing that Tehran is expanding the conflict and extending the threat to global trade and energy supplies beyond the Gulf.
