Iran Asks Houthis to Close Red Sea if US Attacks Power Plants

The Iranian government has asked its ally, the Yemen-based Houthi rebel group, to prepare to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States attacks Tehran’s energy infrastructure, particularly power plants. This could trigger a significant new threat to global energy supplies.

The information, as reported by Reuters on Friday (17/7/2026), was conveyed by three sources who spoke to Reuters on Thursday (16/7) local time.

The idea, according to two senior Iranian official sources and one regional source familiar with the matter, has been discussed among Iranian leaders, and the message has been delivered to the Houthis, their allies in Yemen.

The sources cited by Reuters said the Houthis were recently informed of Iran’s request, which had not been previously reported by the media.

However, it was not explained further how the message was conveyed, or whether it was done following a threat from US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (14/7) to attack Iran’s energy infrastructure.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry and a Houthi spokesperson did not immediately respond.

Another source close to the Houthis, also cited by Reuters, revealed that the Tehran-backed group has completed preparations to attack ships by deploying missiles and drones near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the gateway to the Red Sea. It was even reported that the Houthis are awaiting orders to begin the attack.

Any threat to the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait risks worsening the global energy crisis, which was triggered by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and underscores the explosive risks stemming from this new round of conflict.

With the Strait of Hormuz already closed to access, a Houthi attack on ships or ports in the Red Sea would disrupt two major Middle Eastern oil export routes simultaneously. This situation could potentially open a new front in the energy crisis and Iran’s broader conflict with the US.

A source close to the Houthis added that representatives of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) are already in Yemen and will control the decision on when the Bab el - Mandeb Strait will be closed.