Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have threatened to close the Bab el-Mandeb strait, risking a return to civil war in Yemen and menacing maritime crude shipping routes.
Strait closure threatens tanker routes
The maritime corridor serves as an alternative shipping passage to the Strait of Hormuz for vessels navigating regional waters. Disruption along the Red Sea passage threatens global crude oil tanker flows, creating market pressure that could push crude oil prices above $100 a barrel.
Bab el-Mandeb carries vital tanker traffic.
Fragile ceasefire under renewed strain
The warnings emerge as a 2022 ceasefire between Yemen’s internationally recognised government and a broader Saudi-backed coalition continues to fracture. Previous fighting during the Yemeni civil war claimed 150,000 lives across the country.
Yemen has 40,000,000 people. A complete breakdown of stability threatens widespread consequences for the population, while renewed hostilities risk drawing international shipping further into regional conflict.
