The Houthi group, which controls Yemen’s capital, has warned that it may close the Bab al-Mandab Strait to all maritime traffic if regional tensions escalate further.
A member of the group’s leadership council, Abdulilah Hajar, stated that the Houthis had previously imposed a ban on Israeli-linked vessels in the strait and, if necessary, would shut the Bab al-Mandab Strait to all ships.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait is one of the world’s most important maritime routes, located between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, through which a significant portion of global oil shipments passes.
It is worth noting that since the start of the war in Gaza, the Houthis have repeatedly targeted vessels linked to the Israeli regime in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.