The Yemeni Houthi rebels are all set to join the Iran War as they have started making preparations to close the Red Sea corridor via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in an attempt to completely choke the energy route to Europe.

A day after President Donald John Trump hinted that the US forces might attack Kharg Island of Iran, yet again, “for fun”, the Houthis released a video message, stating that their “fingers are on the trigger” and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would be blocked soon. It may be noted that nearly 8.8 million barrels of oil and about 10-12% of global maritime trade pass through the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait – a vital chokepoint at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, giving Red Sea access to the Suez Canal for global shipping – every day. According to market analysts, crude prices will increase further, if the narrow shipping corridor becomes the next flashpoint in the escalating Middle East crisis.

Since February 28, 2026, the Houthis have been curiously staying out of the war on Iran. Now, one of the most important members of Iran’s Axis of Resistance (along with Hamas and Hezbollah) has announced that it is “ready to respond at any moment“. Earlier, Fars, the semi-official news agency of the Islamic Republic, claimed that the Houthis and other “resistance groups” were on high alert, stating that they could close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The Wall Street Journal has quoted senior Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi as saying: “Our hands are on the trigger when it comes to military escalation and action whenever developments require it.” He made clear that the outfit would impose a full-scale naval blockade in support of Iran, stopping merchant vessels and warships destined for the US and Israel. For his part, top Houthi official Abed al-Thawr has said that the group is considering a series of measures that could begin with a naval blockade, targeting vessels linked to the US and Israel. He added: “Once the decision to intervene is made, the first step could be the official declaration of a naval blockade against the US and the Zionist Regime.” Such a move would allow Iran to expand its maritime campaign to a second strategic chokepoint.

Meanwhile, Al Jazeera has reported that the conflict could soon spiral into a wider regional war as Tehran still has “many cards to play“, including the possibility of extending pressure to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. A senior Iranian military official told the Qatari media organisation that Tehran would certainly expand its maritime campaign to more strategic chokepoints in the coming days.

During the 2023 Gaza War, the Yemeni rebel group launched more than 100 attacks on commercial vessels, prompting dozens of shipping companies to reroute ships around Africa, adding days to journeys and billions in extra costs. Therefore, no one could dismiss the latest threat as mere rhetoric. Dr Luca Nevola, the Yemen and Gulf Maritime Security expert with Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), believes that the Houthis still retain long-range drones and missiles capable of hitting Israel and other parts of the region. Those could help “overwhelm Israeli air defences” if layered with attacks from Lebanon and Iran, he added.

Apart from the US and Israel, Saudi Arabia would also be in deep trouble as Riyadh has been relying on its Red Sea port at Yanbu to export oil. If Bab el-Mandeb closes, the kingdom would effectively lose its final maritime export route. Saudi Arabia currently pivots oil flows via east-west pipelines to Red Sea ports. “They have pipelines connecting the east coast with the west coast, and they do have the possibility of using the Red Sea for oil export,” stressed Dr Nevola.

Defence analysts are of the opinion that if the Houthis choke the Bab el-Mandeb, the fallout could be severe, especially at a time when the Strait of Hormuz remains choked. “The war is about to get wider and uglier,” said Lebanese-Australian podcast host Mario Nawfal. He wrote on X: “If the Houthis go into full military alliance with Iran and shut down another key waterway (Bab el-Mandeb), the Red Sea becomes a complete no-go zone, oil prices explode again and global trade gets choked even harder.“

In Arabic language, Bab el-Mandeb means the Gate of Tears which depicts the threats that have been involved historically to pass through its waters.

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das