(SeaPRwire) – By: Douglas Vance
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is on the edge of a crisis. Iran has told Yemen’s Houthis to shut the Red Sea gateway if the US attacks its power infrastructure. This threat isn’t to be dismissed. The strait now carries 7% of global energy supplies. Saudi Arabia has shifted 70% of its energy exports through the Red Sea port of Yanbu. That makes it a critical lifeline for global energy markets. Even partial disruption would force shipping firms to reroute around Africa. Fuel, insurance, and freight costs would surge for businesses and consumers alike.
Houthis are ready to act. A source close to the group confirms missiles and drones are deployed near the waterway. They’re waiting for Iran’s order to strike shipping. For a year, the Houthis have held off on maritime attacks. But they’ve kept building their capabilities. That includes advanced missiles, drones, and sea mines. The US has sanctioned over 200 entities linked to the Houthis. It’s trying to cut off their funding and weapons. Yet experts say the group still has the power to severely disrupt shipping. The UN has condemned at least two dozen Houthi attacks on commercial vessels since November 2023. Resolution 2722 demands an immediate end to these strikes, but enforcement is lacking.
Escalation would have far-reaching consequences. Edmund Fitton-Brown, former British ambassador to Yemen, warns a full Houthi campaign would trigger US and Israeli strikes on Sana’a and Hodeida. Allies hold a clear military advantage, but wider regional fighting is likely. Nadwa Al-Dawsari of the Middle East Institute says major Houthi decisions are controlled by Iran’s Axis of Resistance. The IRGC oversees all strategic moves. The Southern Arabian Transitional Council criticizes UN-brokered detainee releases. These releases are letting convicted weapons traffickers go free, benefiting Iran. If the US strikes Iranian infrastructure, expect immediate Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping. Global energy prices will jump within weeks, and supply chains will face months of chaos.
Author bio: Douglas Vance, maritime defense scholar and naval intelligence briefing coordinator, tracks global shipping chokepoints and proxy conflict risks.