Iran threatens to close Bab el-Mandeb after Hormuz blockade

Iran, having blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, is now signaling that it could use its Houthi allies in Yemen to shut the Bab el‑Mandeb strait, the narrow gateway linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. A senior Houthi political bureau member, Mohammed al‑Farah, warned that Yemen’s armed forces are prepared to close the waterway if Saudi Arabia persists in its attacks, adding that a coordinated closure of both chokepoints could push oil prices toward $200 a barrel.

Analysts say Tehran is widening the conflict to increase economic pressure on the United States and its allies, as U.S. strikes inside Iran intensify and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea continue. The Bab el‑Mandeb handles roughly 10% of global maritime trade and about 20% of undersea data traffic, making its disruption a serious threat to international commerce.

The broader fallout is already felt in supply chains. Romanian ceramics manufacturers cite the Ormuz closure and related gas shortages as exposing the fragility of long‑distance sourcing, prompting a shift toward regional suppliers and higher production costs. The combined threat to both straits underscores growing vulnerabilities in global energy and trade flows.