Yemeni Houthis have threatened to block a strategically important strait in support of Iran
16 March 02:14
Following the Strait of Hormuz, global trade could lose another vital waterway due to the war in Iran. A senior representative of the Ansar Allah militant group, Abed al-Tawr, told Press TV that the Houthis are ready to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, to support Iran, reports [Komersant].
According to him, in this case, both merchant ships and military vessels, including aircraft carriers heading toward U.S. or Israeli territories, would be subject to the blockade.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a strategically important sea route between the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula (Yemen) and the northeastern part of Africa (Djibouti and Eritrea). About 12% of all maritime oil shipments and 8% of the world’s liquefied natural gas pass through it. Blocking it would deal a serious blow to energy markets and logistics, especially for countries that rely on supplies via the Suez Canal.
The Houthis have already begun charging fees for safe passage through the Red Sea, according to The Telegraph. According to the publication, these bribes are generating “multibillion-dollar revenues” for the group. Ed Finley-Richardson, founder of Contango Research, stated that such a scheme could be attractive to ships stranded in the Persian Gulf.
“I’m sure many owners would be willing to pay just to get their ship out, because these vessels are worth between $20 million and $200 million each,” he explained.
Iran has long supported the Houthis, who control northern Yemen—in particular, supplying them with weapons, drones, and intelligence. Additionally, the republic uses Yemen as a platform to pressure Saudi Arabia, avoiding direct military confrontation with Riyadh.
On March 11, it was reported that ships had begun moving en masse from the Strait of Hormuz, blocked by Iran, to the Red Sea to load Saudi Arabian oil. This involved approximately 30 supertankers heading to the port of Yanbu. Each of them has a capacity of 2 million barrels. To reach the Red Sea from the south, the tankers must pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for one-fifth of global oil and gas supplies, was blocked following the start of the U.S.-Israeli military operation on February 28. Iran announced the closure of the waterway to Americans and their allies, stressing that it would not allow “a single liter of oil” to leave the region while airstrikes continue. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened to attack any vessel attempting to breach the blockade.
On March 14, U.S. President Donald Trump called on China, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and South Korea to join in securing the Strait of Hormuz, specifically by sending military ships there for joint patrols. “The United States will heavily bomb the coastline and continuously destroy Iranian boats and ships. One way or another, we will soon make the Strait of Hormuz open, safe, and free,” he assured.
