Iran-backed Houthi rebels aim to blockade Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening global energy supply
On March 29-30, the Houthis announced their participation in a monthlong Middle East conflict with explicit intentions of blockading vital shipping routes through regions like "Gate of Tears" (Bab al-Manzar) to create additional chokepoints alongside Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This new threat targets global energy supplies and poses clear risks for UK interests, as the group has intensified missile attacks against Israel while seeking international recognition from Iran's allies who are reportedly preparing similar military actions in Yemen.
Key Points
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1Iran-backed Houthi rebels have threatened to blockade and choke off traffic through the Bab el Mandeb Strait, described as 'clearly' having an impact on global shipping.
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2Disruption of this second route would exacerbate economic issues already caused by tensions in the more widely known Strait of Hormuz.
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3The Houthis launched two missiles toward Israel alongside their threat to block vital fuel routes during a month-long conflict escalation.
Developments
The Houthi rebels in Yemen are threatening a blockade on Bab al-Mandeb Strait (the "Gate of Tears"), an 18-mile-wide waterway connecting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden that serves as Iran's alternative shipping route to Hormuz. This strategic chokepoint, which handles significant global trade including ten percent of seaborne oil traffic, is highly vulnerable due to its narrow width relative to missile ranges from Yemen or drones launched by Houthi forces in Sanaa.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels joined a monthlong Middle East conflict on Saturday by launching missiles at Israel and potentially resuming attacks in strategic shipping routes. The ongoing war has caused global oil shortages driven up prices while the death toll exceeds 3,000 as regional leaders prepare to discuss ending hostilities Sunday
Iran-aligned Houthi militants have recently launched missiles at Israel and threatened to impose another shipping blockade via Bab al-Mandeb if US ground operations escalate further south of Hormuz's chokehold experts warn that the narrow waterway, which currently handles 12% of global oil shipments between Europe and Asia.