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After disruptions to maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is signaling that it may expand pressure on the United States by using another strategic point: the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the entrance to the Red Sea, through its Houthi allies in Yemen, writes Reuters.
According to the agency, the escalation of US attacks inside Iran and the parallel intensification of Houthi actions indicate that Tehran is expanding the conflict beyond the Persian Gulf, targeting key trade routes and global energy supplies.
Bab el-Mandeb is one of the most important maritime corridors in the world, as it connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and through it pass oil exports from Saudi Arabia and a significant part of international maritime transport.
The warning was made by Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the political bureau of the Ansarullah (Houthi) movement, who stated that if Saudi Arabia continues its attacks on Yemen, the Straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb could be closed in a coordinated manner.
According to him, such a scenario would cause a major shock to international markets, driving the price of oil up to $200 per barrel.
Analysts quoted by Reuters estimate that, if Hormuz represents Iran's most powerful strategic tool, Bab el-Mandeb could be the "last card" that Tehran reserves in the event of further escalation.
Middle East professor Fawaz Gerges said Iran is trying to send the message to Washington that it is capable of simultaneously threatening two of the most important hubs of global energy trade.
"It is no longer just Hormuz that is in danger, but also Bab el-Mandeb ," he was quoted as saying.
On the other hand, former US Middle East negotiator Dennis Ross argues that Washington's objective remains to change Iran's strategic calculations, with the aim of bringing it back into negotiations.
Meanwhile, experts recall that the Houthis have previously demonstrated the ability to strike maritime transport in the Red Sea. After the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the group launched attacks on commercial ships, forcing major companies to change routes and sail around Africa, with significant consequences for transport costs and global supply chains.
However, some analysts believe that the Houthis are unlikely to undertake a full blockade of Bab el-Mandeb without a clear decision from Tehran. Such a move, they say, could provoke a broad military response from the US and its allies, with the aim of significantly weakening the Yemeni group's military capabilities.
Reuters analysis highlights that the main risk is not necessarily a direct large-scale war, but a gradual escalation of the conflict, where each side increases pressure without crossing the threshold of open confrontation, shifting the battle from the military field to the global economy.
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