Tensions in the Middle East have escalated after senior officials from Yemen’s Houthi movement warned that they could shut the Bab al‑Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.
In a statement posted on X on April 18, Hussein al‑Ezzi, the deputy foreign minister of the Houthi administration in Sanaa, said the group may close the strait if what it described as “obstructive” actions by the United States continue.
He said the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and Bab al‑Mandeb remain options for pressure, stating that maritime routes are now part of the group’s strategy.
“And therefore, it is best for Trump—and the complicit world—to immediately end all practices and policies that obstruct peace, and to show the respect required for the rights of our people and nation,” read part of the statement by Hussein al‑Ezzi.
Houthis Warn of Bab al‑Mandeb Strait Closure
The warning followed similar statements from Iranian officials in recent weeks.
Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leadership, said Iran’s allies view Bab al‑Mandeb in the same way as the Strait of Hormuz, another critical passage already disrupted by the conflict.
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Although Iran does not border Bab al‑Mandeb, Yemen’s Houthis control large stretches of coastline overlooking the waterway and are closely aligned with Tehran.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has already enforced restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that has sharply reduced commercial traffic through the Gulf and pushed shipping activity toward alternative routes.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about 4.1 million barrels of oil and petroleum products per day passed through Bab al-Mandeb in 2024, alongside large volumes of container and bulk cargo traffic.
Bab al-Mandeb is particularly important for oil exports from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers when the Strait of Hormuz is restricted.
The narrow passage links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is the southern gateway to the Suez Canal.
Around 20,000 commercial vessels pass through the strait each year, carrying crude oil, refined fuels, liquefied natural gas, grain, fertilizer, and containerized goods bound for Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa.
According to industry data, about 10-12 percent of global seaborne oil trade and a significant share of Europe–Asia container traffic rely on the route.
Saudi Arabia has been shipping crude via its Red Sea ports to bypass the Persian Gulf, making safe passage through Bab al‑Mandeb critical.
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A closure would force tankers and cargo ships to divert around the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa, adding up to two weeks to journeys and sharply increasing fuel and insurance costs.
Pressure on Red Sea
The Red Sea has already been under pressure in recent years.
From late 2023 into 2024, the Houthis carried out dozens of drone and missile attacks on merchant vessels, claiming to target shipping linked to Israel.
Those attacks caused many major shipping firms to suspend Red Sea transits, cutting traffic through the Suez route by more than half at times.
While attacks declined in 2025 after limited ceasefire understandings, the current regional war has revived fears of a new escalation.
International naval forces are now on alert.
European and U.S.‑led maritime missions in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have stepped up patrols, warning that renewed attacks or a declared closure would pose serious risks to freedom of navigation.
Diplomatic efforts are also underway as regional states, particularly Egypt and Gulf countries, seek to prevent further disruptions to trade routes vital to their economies.
