Iran instructs Houthis to prepare to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Key Points:

• Iran has reportedly instructed Yemen’s Houthi militants to prepare to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical Red Sea maritime chokepoint, if the U.S. attacks Iranian infrastructure, raising concerns about major disruptions to global shipping.
• Experts warn that while the Houthis may not fully seal the strait, their enhanced missile, drone, and sea mine capabilities could significantly disrupt shipping traffic, increasing costs and risks for commercial vessels.
• The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, carrying about 7% of global energy supplies, making any disruption particularly impactful amid existing tensions from Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Analysts suggest that any Houthi escalation would be strategically coordinated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the broader "Axis of Resistance," indicating Tehran’s strong influence over Houthi military decisions.
• The threat has intensified scrutiny of Iranian weapons smuggling networks supporting the Houthis and highlighted concerns about the management of Yemen’s security crisis, including controversial detainee releases linked to Iranian arms trafficking.