Iran signals threat to Bab el-Mandeb alongside Strait of Hormuz, risking global energy supply chains.

Tensions escalated as Iran signaled it could threaten the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, creating a second major choke point alongside the Strait of Hormuz and jeopardizing global energy trade. Reports indicate that a senior Yemeni official warned that closing the strait could cause oil prices to soar. This warning comes as analysts suggest Tehran is intensifying pressure on the United States by extending the conflict's threat beyond the Persian Gulf. The fragile situation in Yemen deteriorated after the Yemeni government bombed an airport runway, prompting Houthi rebels to retaliate with missile strikes against Saudi Arabia. Experts warn that a dual closure of both waterways would trigger a severe global economic shock. The administration previously reimposed a naval blockade on Iran-linked ships attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The potential simultaneous closure of both maritime arteries would severely disrupt vital shipping and energy movement through the Red Sea and the Gulf.

Sources

• After blocking Hormuz, Iran signals it could ramp up pressure and shut Red Sea gateway, too — The Times of Israel
• One flight, two chokepoints: why Iran wants an air bridge to Yemen — ایران اینترنشنال
• How new Yemen tensions could complicate the global energy crisis — Al Jazeera