Iran asks Houthis to prepare Red Sea blockade if US targets energy infrastructure: Report | Today’s news
The Houthis have reportedly completed preparations to target maritime traffic 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 were now awaiting orders to begin operations.
The same sources added that members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) already present in Yemen would oversee the timing of any move to close the strategic waterway.
A new threat to global oil supplies
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 two of the Middle East’s most important oil export routes, escalating both the energy crisis and the broader confrontation between Iran and the United States.
The American-Iranian 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 hub that previously provided about a fifth of global energy supplies.
Tensions continue to rise after a fragile truce between Tehran and Washington collapsed, reviving fears of a wider regional war and further disrupting global energy flows.
Tensions between the US and Iran remain high
President Donald Trump has threatened to expand US strikes unless Tehran changes course, while Iran has warned that further escalation could trigger wider retaliation across the region.
If the Houthis decide to block the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, it would open another major front in the conflict, posing new risks to international shipping, oil markets and global trade.
