While the US and Iran are locked into a struggle over the Strait of Hormuz, where 20 percent of the world’s oil passed through prior to the current conflict, Iran’s proxies in Yemen, the Houthi rebels, are threatening to close the narrow Bab el-Mandab Strait, whose name means “Gate of Tears” in Arabic, which links the southern Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, a week after declaring a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia.
The Iranian-proxy group on July 20 declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia and its ports, opening a new front against the U.S. and its allies in the Iran war and expanding attacks on tankers carrying global energy and other supplies to waters beyond the Gulf.
A formation of four U.S. Air Force F-15EX Eagle II fighter jets, assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, fly over the Gulf of America, Nov. 21, 2025. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink flew in the backseat of the lead jet as part of his visit to Eglin AFB. The flight oriented Meink to F-15EX tactics, techniques and procedures being developed and advanced by the 53d Wing to include weapons capacity, next-gen survivability, and next-generation radars, sensors and networking capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Blake Wiles)
F-15EX Eagle II. Artist Rendition. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The Bab el-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea is another strategic choke point for oil where 12-15 percent of global trade worth more than $1 trillion passes through the Red Sea via the Suez Canal in the north.
Any further interruption of oil tanker traffic by the Houthis in the Red Sea could have even more dire effects on the global economy.
However, they have allowed two oil tankers bound for China to pass safely through the area without incident.
The Bab el-Mandab Strait Has Been A Hot Spot Since 2023
However, officially, the Houthis have denied that they are planning to charge tolls to pass through the Strait, stating that ships can continue to pass through the waterway without paying.
The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) said in a statement that its safe-passage service is voluntary and does not require shipping companies to pay for access.
“The HOCC further emphasizes that transit through the Bab al-Mandab Strait is free of charge,” the statement reads, noting circulating reports claiming Yemen intends to impose the tolls.
“The HOCC categorically confirms that any individual or entity requesting the payment of money in exchange for transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait does not represent the Republic of Yemen or HOCC in any capacity whatsoever.”
However, analysts are concerned that Houthi interference in the Strait would cause severe distress to the global economy.
“The issue is not just the sheer volume of oil that typically transits the Bab el-Mandab Strait, but that the loss of a guarantee of safe passage through the Bab el-Mandab Strait—much less the Red Sea at large—would represent a further contraction of viable oil and liquefied natural gas trade routes between the Middle East and other regions,” said CFR energy and climate expert Clara Gillispie.
“This would risk additional lock-in of otherwise available supplies and, more broadly, place further strain on already fragile global energy markets.”
The Strait has been a strategic chokepoint and an active conflict zone since 2023, when the Houthis began attacking commercial and naval vessels in protest of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, significantly disrupting international shipping.
The Houthis’ entry into the Iran conflict in March by firing missiles at southern Israel opened the door for the conflict to escalate further. The Houthis’ maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia is aiding in spreading the conflict.
Iranian IRGC Officials Planned A Disruption With The Houthis
When a Houthi delegation flew on the Iranian airline Mahan Air from Sanaa to Tehran earlier in July for the funeral of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, their Iranian counterparts discussed imposing fees on Bab el-Mandab transits, two regional officials briefed by Tehran told Reuters.
On their return, intelligence reports and other sources confirmed that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders and missile advisers were aboard the July 13 Mahan Air flight from Tehran that the Saudi-backed Yemeni government targeted to prevent it from landing in Sanaa.
The airstrike forced the aircraft to divert and land safely in Houthi-controlled Hodeidah instead. The IRGC advisers were there to train Houthi rebels on advanced missile and drone systems.
The source also stated that Iran shipped gold on the aircraft to help finance Houthi activities.
Iran denied this, while the Houthis called the allegations “lies and fabrications,” and they have repeatedly maintained that they develop their own weapons and are not acting as an Iranian proxy.
Yemen’s Information Minister Moammar al-Iryani confirmed to Reuters that IRGC personnel and military equipment had been transferred to Yemen, citing intelligence reports.
“Their mission is to strengthen the militias’ military capabilities and prepare them to threaten international maritime security in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait,” he said.
Regional security analyst Mzahem Alsaloum also confirmed the arrival of the Iranian advisers, saying the cargo included components for short- and medium-range missiles and drones similar to systems previously used in attacks on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Iran Wants The Houthis To Support Their Plans To Disrupt Oil Flow
The Iranian advisers who were on the aircraft on July 13 were on the ground to guide them in setting up a potential authority to regulate fees through the Bab el-Mandab, an Arab official told the Times of Israel.
“The Houthis will try to gain access over the Red Sea, and they will try to charge ships if they do,” Afrah al-Zouba, foreign minister-designate with Yemen’s internationally recognized government, said to Reuters.
The Houthis had previously collected fees from some shipping companies transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during the height of their maritime campaign in 2024 in exchange for safe passage, according to a 2024 U.N. Panel of Experts report, which said it was unable to independently verify the information.
Insurance costs for ships transiting the Red Sea have reportedly already risen in the wake of the Houthis’ announcement of the blockade.
Western and Gulf nations are expected to strongly oppose any Houthi transit fees in the Bab el-Mandab Strait, viewing them as an illegal violation of international maritime law.
Avoiding The Strait Is Possible But Adds More Than 11.5K Miles
Oil shipped from Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports to Asia could travel north through the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea before circumnavigating the entire African continent to get to the Indian Ocean.
While that is possible, it would add more than 11.5K nautical miles to the journey, making it much more expensive.
Another alternative source, the Saudi oil processing facility at Abqaiq to Yanbu, on the Red Sea, was operating at its full capacity of 7 million barrels per day, as soon as the Houthis announced the blockade.
This added front to the conflict is a development that may push the Houthis to demand more political and economic concessions from Saudi Arabia.
About the Author: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
