Iran has told Yemen's Houthis to close the Bab el Mandeb strait in the Red Sea if clashes with the U.S. continue to escalate and Tehran makes the call, according to a new report.
Citing two senior Iranian sources and another regional one, Reuters detailed that the possibility has been discussed within Tehran's leadership and the Houthis have already been notified of the possibility.
The outlet also detailed that the rebel group has completed preparations for such a scenario, deploying missiles and drones near the waterway.
Along with the Strait of Hormuz, the two chokepoints are among the world's most strategically important shipping lanes, carrying significant amounts of oil and commercial cargo.
Middle East analyst Fawaz Gerges told the outlet this week that Tehran is seeking to demonstrate it can threaten both critical maritime chokepoints simultaneously. "Iran is willing to go all the way," Gerges said. "Now (Tehran) is escalating both near and wide. The message is that not only Hormuz, but Bab al-Mandeb, is at risk."
The Bab el-Mandeb has already proven vulnerable in recent years. Following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Iran-backed Houthis launched repeated attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea, saying they were targeting vessels connected to Israel in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Saudi-based Gulf Research Center, said Gulf governments increasingly believe diplomatic efforts with Iran have reached their limits, even as they recognize that any wider regional conflict would carry severe consequences.
Sager noted that while the Houthis still possess the capability to threaten navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb, they are unlikely to significantly escalate operations without explicit direction from Tehran. He added that any sustained effort to block shipping would likely provoke a much broader military response from the United States and its allies aimed at degrading the group's military capabilities.
In the meantime, hostilities between the U.S. and Iran continue. Recent strikes against Iran are not only seeking to degrade Iran's capabilities to block the Strait of Hormuz, but also pave the way for further escalation should President Donald Trump decide to, according to a new report.
Citing officials familiar with the matter, Reuters detailed that the strikes strengthen additional military options for Trump. They have been aimed at air defense systems, coastal radars, missile and drone sites, as well as maritime assets.
One of them told the outlet that they could be "shaping operation" in case U.S. forces need to conduct more extensive operations in the future. "This is helping set the stage, if needed," the official added.
.png?w=600)
