Houthis have reportedly completed preparations to target shipping by deploying missiles and drones near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Reuters citing three sources said Houthi forces are now awaiting orders to begin operations.
The same sources, according to the news outlet, added that members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) already present in Yemen would oversee the timing of any move to shut the strategic waterway.
New threat to global oil supply
Any disruption to shipping through the Red Sea would significantly worsen the global energy crisis already triggered by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
With Hormuz already closed, attacks on vessels or ports in the Red Sea would simultaneously disrupt the Middle East's two most important oil export routes, escalating both the energy crisis and the broader confrontation between Iran and the United States.
US-Iran conflict
The current conflict began on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to close the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint that previously handled around one-fifth of global energy supplies.
Tensions have continued to rise after a fragile truce between Tehran and Washington collapsed, reviving fears of a wider regional war and further disrupting global energy flows.
US-Iran tensions remain high
President Donald Trump has threatened to expand US strikes unless Tehran changes its course, while Iran has warned that further escalation could trigger broader retaliation across the region.
If the Houthis move to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, it would open another major front in the conflict, posing fresh risks to international shipping, oil markets and global trade.
