Bab al-Mandeb: US war on Iran gives Houthis new leverage over Saudi Arabia

The Houthis in Yemen have escalated tensions by threatening a maritime embargo against Saudi ports, responding to Saudi attacks on Sanaa International Airport. This follows the reopening of direct flights between Yemen and Iran, which Saudi Arabia viewed as a red line. The conflict risks disrupting the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, a critical oil and gas transit route, as Saudi Arabia shifts exports from Hormuz to the Red Sea.