The Bab el-Mandeb Strait: are the Houthis seeking to replicate Iran’s strategy in the Strait of Hormuz?
As tensions between the United States and Iran continue, concerns have emerged that the Houthi militia may attempt to exploit its strategic position near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—one of the world’s most important maritime routes—to secure financial gains similar to those obtained by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz.
These concerns have been reinforced by accusations from Yemen’s internationally recognized government. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani stated that the Houthis are seeking to imitate Iran’s approach in the Strait of Hormuz by imposing transit fees on ships, warning that such a move could further disrupt global energy markets and drive up oil prices.
The state of maritime traffic in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
Al-Eryani said that his accusations are based on « confirmed intelligence » recently gathered, indicating that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard is assisting the Houthis in managing this initiative.
However, the Houthi-affiliated Operations Coordination Center denied any intention to impose financial charges on vessels crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
In an official statement, the center emphasized that « no decision has been taken or even considered regarding the imposition of transit fees », stressing that « the passage of ships through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remains free of charge ».
Only days earlier, the Houthis had announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia and subsequently claimed responsibility for attacks on oil tankers and oil facilities across the kingdom. In response, the Saudi-led coalition announced strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen.
The declared blockade threatens Saudi Arabia’s ability to export millions of barrels of crude oil per day, as it could deprive the kingdom of its maritime outlet through the Red Sea at a time when shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted by Iran.
Karen Young, a specialist in Gulf economic policy at the Middle East Institute in Washington, believes that « this conflict is still in its early stages, and we must prepare for long-term disruptions », particularly with regard to securing oil supplies.
Speaking to journalists this week, she stated: « This is a conflict for which there are no quick solutions. » She added that « even a political transition in Iran could worsen regional instability rather than reduce it ».
Alex Vatanka, an expert at the Middle East Institute, described the current situation as « a losing equation for everyone », arguing that neither the United States nor Iran would benefit from a prolonged conflict.
Opinion polls conducted by political analyst Nate Silver and published on Thursday indicate that 58.3 percent of Americans oppose the war, a figure that has been steadily increasing since March, while 37.4 percent support it.
The issue is politically sensitive, coming less than four months before the midterm elections scheduled for November, which are historically difficult for the party in power and could potentially cost Donald Trump his congressional majority.
Where is the Bab el-Mandeb Strait located?
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait lies at the southern end of the Red Sea and connects it to the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean.
It is one of the world’s busiest maritime corridors, linking Europe and Asia in particular.
The strait separates Yemen, located on the Arabian Peninsula, from Djibouti and Eritrea on the African continent.
It stretches for approximately one hundred kilometers and is about thirty kilometers wide.
It lies between Ras Manhali on the Yemeni coast and Ras Siyyan in Djibouti.
These two capes form the natural boundary between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Yemen’s Mayyun Island divides the strait into two separate shipping channels.
Why is the Bab el-Mandeb Strait strategically important?
Oil tankers and commercial vessels arriving from Asia pass through the strait to reach the Red Sea, then the Suez Canal and ultimately the Mediterranean Sea, and vice versa.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has increasingly exported crude oil through the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, using it as an alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic has been disrupted by Iran.
According to John Evans, an expert at PVM, a brokerage and consulting firm specializing in oil and energy markets, exports through Yanbu now account for 75 percent of Saudi oil exports under normal conditions, compared with only 15 to 20 percent before the war.
If ships were no longer able to pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the only alternative route to Asia would be to sail around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope.
Evans notes that « the journey between Yanbu and China takes slightly more than twenty days » when ships travel along the Yemeni coast, whereas a route involving the Suez Canal and a detour around Africa requires « more than fifty days ».
Bab el-Mandeb and the risks to maritime navigation
Because of its proximity to Yemeni territories partially controlled by the Houthis, the strait remains particularly vulnerable to attacks by the militia.
In 2024, the Houthis carried out dozens of attacks against commercial vessels that they claimed were linked to Israel in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, launching operations from territories under their control in Yemen and causing long-lasting disruptions to maritime traffic in the region.
Shipping activity in the Red Sea has not yet returned to its 2023 levels. Nevertheless, according to Bridget Diacon, an analyst at Lloyd’s List Intelligence, major shipping companies « have been cautiously testing the waters and dispatching some vessels since January 2025 ».
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz had previously increased the number of oil tankers passing through Bab el-Mandeb, but the analyst expects « this trend to change » as a result of the latest attacks.
