Houthis Threaten Blockade of Bab al-Mandeb Over US Policies
Hussein al-Ezzi, a senior official in Yemen’s Houthi movement, issued a public warning on April 19, 2026, threatening to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The group stated that the strategic waterway could be shut if the United States continues policies that allegedly obstruct regional peace efforts. The Houthi official claimed that once closed, no force could reopen the strait. This escalation follows renewed tensions in the Red Sea and an ongoing maritime standoff involving international shipping and military forces in the Gulf of Aden.
Date: April 19, 2026
Location: Yemen
Conflict: Red Sea Crisis
Category: naval
Severity: HIGH
Source: Türkiye Today