A new geopolitical flashpoint threatens to disrupt global shipping as Yemen’s Houthi rebels have warned they may close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic maritime corridor linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
The threat comes as tensions escalate following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which have effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, another critical shipping route for oil and gas exports.
The Houthis, who control Yemen’s capital Sana’a and the northwestern Red Sea coast, said in a statement on Friday that any blockade would target only vessels belonging to states involved in attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, and Iraq.
“The Bab el-Mandeb is a lifeline for international trade,” maritime analysts warn. The strait connects the Mediterranean and Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, serving as a key route for oil, gas, and cargo shipments between Europe and Asia. Even a partial closure could trigger major disruptions in global supply chains and drive up shipping costs worldwide.
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Experts describe the Bab el-Mandeb as a “chokepoint of global trade,” noting that any sustained blockade could have cascading effects on markets, energy prices, and international shipping schedules.
This development adds to growing international concerns over the stability of critical waterways in the Middle East, as global economies remain highly dependent on uninterrupted maritime trade through the region.
