Developments around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have prompted the Israeli navy to raise its readiness level. Israeli Navy Commander Vice Admiral Eyal Harel ordered increased readiness among naval forces and at command and control centers, as well as reinforcements for forces operating at sea.
Israeli security assessments said that the Houthis in Yemen had expanded their presence along the Red Sea coast and strengthened their position around the strategic waterway. They also suggested that the withdrawal of Yemeni government-aligned forces from Perim Island, also known as Mayyun Island, at the entrance to the strait had significantly increased the Houthis’ influence over maritime traffic.
Concerns over commercial vessels in the narrow waterway
The risk facing vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which narrows to about 18 kilometers at some points, became one of the main subjects of assessments in Israel. These assessments said the Houthis could target vessels with missiles and explosive-laden boats.
Criticism was also voiced in Israeli security circles that deterrence had weakened and that regional actors had failed to halt the Houthis’ advance. It was assessed that the Houthis’ establishment of a stronger position around Bab el-Mandeb, combined with Iran’s influence around the Strait of Hormuz, could increase Tehran’s influence over key maritime routes in the region.
Approximately 98 percent of Israel’s imports are transported by sea. This has heightened Israeli security concerns over commercial maritime transport as a result of developments around Bab el-Mandeb.
Risk of renewed conflict rises in Yemen
The war between Yemen’s government forces, forces backed by the Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-backed Houthis lasted approximately 12 years. The country had experienced a relatively calm period since April 2022; however, the Houthis’ takeover of the capital, Sanaa, and large parts of Yemen in 2014 formed the underlying backdrop to the conflict.
After the war in Gaza began in late 2023, the Houthis became more involved in regional conflicts. The group carried out attacks targeting Israel and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The resumption of fighting in Yemen has also increased concerns that the country could return to a full-scale war.
