Iran Orders Houthi Rebels to Prepare for Bab al-Mandab Strait Closure Amid US-Iran Tensions

Iran has instructed the Houthi rebels in Yemen to prepare for a potential closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the southern gateway to the Red Sea, if the United States disables Iran's electricity grid, Reuters reports. This directive follows discussions within Iran's leadership and has been conveyed to the Houthis in Sanaa by Iranian Revolutionary Guard officials currently in Yemen.

The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, control approximately 28% of Yemen's territory, including the capital Sanaa and the strategic port city of Hodeidah. Their control over Bab al-Mandab has previously allowed them to block this critical maritime chokepoint. Before the outbreak of the recent Iron Swords conflict, Bab al-Mandab was a vital shipping route connecting the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz, two of the world's busiest maritime corridors.

The Suez Canal handled 12% of global trade and 30% of international container traffic as of October 7, 2023, while the Strait of Hormuz saw about 20 million barrels of oil daily until Iran imposed a blockade during Operation Roaring Lion. Overall, about 14% of global maritime trade passes through the Red Sea. Blocking Bab al-Mandab would disrupt roughly 20% of global oil and natural gas trade and severely impact supply chains, as around 30,000 ships annually pass through this narrow strait, which is less than 30 kilometers wide.

A renewed Houthi blockade would extend shipping times between East Asia and Europe by at least two weeks and exacerbate supply chain delays, which previously stretched to four weeks or more during earlier blockades. A source close to the Houthis told Reuters that the group has completed preparations to attack vessels near Bab al-Mandab using missiles and drones and is awaiting orders from Tehran. Senior Revolutionary Guard commanders in Yemen are expected to decide when to initiate the renewed blockade.

This development highlights the escalating regional tensions involving Iran, the Houthis, and the United States, with significant implications for global trade and energy security.