After Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab Strait next? Houthi rebels threaten global trade lifeline, say 'fully militarily ready' to back Iran's war efforts

Yemen's Houthi rebels have a message for Washington: they're watching, and they're ready. The Iran-backed group said Thursday (Mar 26) that it stands fully prepared to enter the war alongside Iran the moment things turn. "We stand fully militarily ready with all options," a Houthi leader told Reuters. The group has threatened that they will open a new war front, blocking another key global trade route - the Bab al-Mandab Strait, or the Gate of Tears, even as Iran continues to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, driving oil prices up.

Houthi rebels ready to stand with Iran

Speaking to Reuters, an unnamed Houthi leader announced that the rebels "stand fully militarily ready with all options". The language suggests that the rebel group was in direct talks with Tehran.

"Until now Iran is doing well and is defeating the enemy every day and the battle is going in its direction," the leader added. "If anything contrary to this happens, then we can assess." That "assessment," as per reports, would mean one thing: a new front, this time along the Red Sea.

How important is the Bab al-Mandab Strait?

The Houthis are based in Yemen, right next to the Bab al-Mandab Strait — a 20-mile-wide chokepoint where the Red Sea meets the Gulf of Aden. It's not a stretch to call it one of the most consequential waterways on the planet. Roughly $1 trillion worth of goods move through it every year, connecting Europe and Asia. Shipping companies have no good alternative.

During the Israel-Hamas war, Houthi attacks along the passage caused serious disruption to global trade — enough to force major rerouting and drive up shipping costs worldwide.

This time, the stakes are higher. With the Strait of Hormuz already effectively closed, Saudi Arabia — the world's largest oil exporter — has been rerouting its shipments through the Red Sea. Any Houthi action there wouldn't just rattle markets. It could choke off one of the last remaining arteries for Gulf oil reaching the rest of the world.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.