Houthi Rebels Threaten Blockade of Bab al-Mandab Strait if Conflict Widens
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi issued a televised warning on April 21, 2026, threatening to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital global maritime chokepoint. The group stated that if Gulf states join the US-Israeli strikes against Iran, they will initiate a total blockade of the Red Sea entrance. This threat followed reports of a brief opening and subsequent re-closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, raising fears of a simultaneous disruption of Middle Eastern energy routes.