Iran threatens to close Bab el-Mandeb Strait as US-Iran tensions deepen
The latest Iran Houthi threat has raised concerns that the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could become the next strategic waterway affected after tensions around the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts say such a move could severely disrupt international shipping and fuel supplies.
According to reports, Iran’s state media quoted a senior Houthi official as saying the group is prepared to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if Saudi Arabia continues military operations in Yemen.
The statement has intensified fears that two of the world’s busiest maritime routes could face simultaneous disruption.
The Iran Houthi threat comes as US-Iran tensions continue to rise following recent military developments in the region.
The warning also followed renewed instability around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes.
Iranian state media claimed that if both the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz were disrupted, global oil prices could surge dramatically, with crude oil prices potentially reaching as high as $200 per barrel. Such an increase could affect fuel costs, shipping charges, and inflation worldwide.
Experts believe the US-Iran tensions are no longer limited to the Gulf and could spread to wider maritime routes.
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Middle East analysts say Tehran appears to be signaling that it has the ability to put pressure on more than one global shipping corridor at the same time.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and serves as a vital route for Red Sea shipping and international trade.
If traffic through the passage is blocked, cargo vessels would have to travel around southern Africa, adding significant time and cost to global deliveries.
The Houthis have previously targeted commercial vessels involved in Red Sea shipping since the Gaza conflict began in 2023, claiming they were acting against ships linked to Israel.
Those attacks forced many international shipping companies to reroute vessels and prompted military operations by the United States and the United Kingdom.
Security experts warn that if US-Iran tensions continue to escalate, the Iran Houthi threat could place even greater pressure on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz.
They say this would further shake confidence in global oil prices, push crude oil prices higher, and disrupt Red Sea shipping across international markets.
