Escalating War: Houthis Could Close Bab el-Mandeb Strait
The Houthi militant group has stated that it does not rule out the possibility of closing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as part of the ongoing military escalation between Iran and the United States (US) and Israel.
The Houthis, supported by Tehran, launched a series of missile attacks towards Israel on Saturday (28/3) local time. This marked the first attack from the Yemen-based Houthis since the US and Israel launched a large-scale joint assault on Iran on 28 February.
“We are in joint coordination with our brothers in Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq,” said the Houthi government’s Deputy Minister of Information, Mohammed Mansour, when speaking to Al-Araby Television, as reported by Anadolu Agency and Middle East Monitor on Monday (30/3/2026).
He stated that the Houthis have joined the conflict “to provide support to our brothers in Iran, who are engaged in a major battle.” It was mentioned that Hezbollah, based in Lebanon, had taken similar steps earlier.
Mansour revealed that the Houthi move to join the war aims “to increase pressure on Israel and the US.”
“Every step we take has been carefully calculated to be effective and to increase pressure on Israel and the US,” he said.
He described Yemen as bearing “moral, religious, and humanitarian responsibility towards Iran, Hezbollah, and Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces.” Mansour portrayed the alliance as “primarily aimed at supporting Palestine.”
In his statement, Mansour said that the Houthis have many options to exert pressure on Israel and the US, who are at war with Iran.
“The Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab el-Mandeb will be among the options,” he remarked. “We have extensive experience in naval and ground force operations, and our previous intervention to support Gaza was one of the major surprises for the world,” Mansour added.
Regarding the possibility of closing the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait or attacking passing ships, Mansour said: “This depends on the escalation by Israel and the US, and America’s preparations for any ground movements.”
“Yemen’s leadership makes decisions independently based on military and political assessments, considering that every step will be calculated and effective,” he emphasised.
Previously, Iran has restricted shipping activities in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway for global energy supplies, since early March. This has triggered global disruptions, increasing shipping costs and pushing global oil prices higher.