Iran Prepares to Weaponize Red Sea Chokepoint Using Houthis

Tehran is preparing to escalate its confrontation with Washington by weaponizing a second critical maritime artery, threatening to close the Red Sea’s Bab el-Mandeb strait through its Houthi proxies.

Having already restricted global shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran-aligned forces in Yemen are now signaling an operational alliance to block off the Gulf of Aden.

This strategic shift places two of the world's most vital energy corridors under direct threat as U.S. strikes deep inside Iran intensify.

Dual Maritime Chokepoints

Middle East security analysts assess that Tehran is rapidly expanding the conflict beyond the Persian Gulf.

By activating the Houthi militant group to choke off Bab el-Mandeb, Iran aims to leverage global trade as an asymmetric weapon against the United States and its regional partners.

The narrow waterway serves as a critical transit route for Saudi oil exports and a massive share of international shipping.

Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the Houthi political bureau, warned that continuous U.S.-backed Saudi operations in Yemen would trigger a coordinated maritime blockade, according to Reuters.

"If the current situation aggravates, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Hormuz will be closed in an operational alliance. Oil prices would then skyrocket to $200 a barrel in a dreadful shock," al-Farah stated.

Escalating Regional Conflict

The Houthis have previously demonstrated their capacity to sever the Bab el-Mandeb corridor.

Following the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023, the militant group launched a sustained campaign against commercial vessels linked to Israel, forcing international shipping conglomerates to reroute around southern Africa.

Those disruptions heavily escalated transit costs and triggered a multinational naval response, including airstrikes by U.S. and British forces.

Regional stakeholders acknowledge the severe economic risks of a widened war.

Abdulaziz Sager of the Gulf Research Center indicated that Gulf nations are increasingly losing faith in diplomatic solutions, noting that a defeated Iran might be acceptable if it results in long-term regional stability.

Sager suggested that while the Houthis possess the operational capability to sever the strait, such an escalation would require explicit authorization from Tehran.

Any renewed Houthi blockade would likely provoke overwhelming multinational military retaliation aimed at dismantling the group's infrastructure.

Former U.S. envoy Dennis Ross emphasized that Washington's primary objective remains forcing a shift in Iran’s strategic calculus to achieve a negotiated settlement.

The broader conflict, initiated by U.S. and Israeli operations in late February, has already destabilized the region, resulting in thousands of casualties across Iran and Lebanon.