Bab al-Mandeb strait

The Houthis, a Shiite militia in Yemen aligned with Iran, have announced a naval blockade of the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait. This move occurs amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

Two U.S. soldiers were killed and another remains missing in Jordan after Iranian missile attacks, while a U.S. service member was also killed in Iraq. The incident has contributed to a global energy crisis with rising gas prices and crude oil costs. Additionally, the extradition case of Andrew and Tristan Tate is ongoing, and the Houthi group in Yemen announced plans to block Saudi vessels in the Bab al-Mandeb strait.

Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthis announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, targeting the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a critical global shipping route, in retaliation for a blockade and an attack on Sanaa International Airport. The move threatens to escalate regional tensions and disrupt 12% of world trade passing through the strait.

The Islamabad MoU and US-Iran ceasefire are collapsing as both sides exchange attacks across the Gulf, targeting civilian sites and escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has suspended its commitments under the agreement, with threats to close another key trade chokepoint, the Bab al-Mandeb strait, while regional actors urge renewed dialogue to prevent further conflict.

Iran asked the Houthis in Yemen to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if the US attacks Iran's power infrastructure. Saudi Arabia is taking this threat seriously, according to regional sources cited by Reuters.