SCHEME REVEALED/ The real reason why foreign tourists come to Albania is the hospitals!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

Not just Hormuz: Iran threatens to block another important strait

2026-07-14 18:04:33Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

After blocking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is signaling that it may use another strategic card, activating its Houthi allies in Yemen to also close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the entrance to the Red Sea. Analysts warn that this would open a new front against the United States and endanger two of the most important routes for oil transportation and global trade.

As US attacks inside Iranian territory have intensified and the Houthis have increased their offensives, experts believe that Tehran is escalating the conflict to increase pressure on Washington, threatening not only the Persian Gulf but also international energy supply routes.

Iran has already demonstrated its influence by disrupting traffic in Hormuz. Now it seems ready to exert pressure on Bab el-Mandeb, the maritime corridor connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and through which Saudi oil exports and a significant portion of world maritime trade pass.

A senior Yemeni official warned on Monday that the country's forces are ready to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if Saudi Arabia continues its attacks on Yemen. He said such a move could push oil prices to $200 a barrel.

Mohammed al-Farah, a member of the political bureau of the Ansarullah (Houthi) movement, stated that the US is inciting Saudi Arabia to attack Yemen and warned that escalation would lead to the coordinated closure of the Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz straits.

"If the situation worsens, Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz will be locked in an operational alliance. Oil prices will rise to $200 per barrel, causing a severe shock," he said.

Analysts consider Hormuz to be Iran's most powerful strategic lever, while Bab el-Mandeb is seen as the last major tool Tehran can use to increase pressure.

Middle East professor Fawaz Gerges said Iran is sending Washington the message that it is capable of threatening both straits simultaneously, transforming the conflict from a bilateral confrontation into a crisis affecting the sea lanes on which global energy trade relies.

"Today, it is not only Hormuz that is in danger, but also Bab el-Mandeb," he said.

The risk of gradual escalation

Experts warn that the biggest risk is not necessarily an open war, but a slow escalation, where each side gradually increases pressure without moving into a direct confrontation.

Dennis Ross, former US negotiator for the Middle East, said the challenge for the US is to change Iran's strategic calculations so that Tehran returns to negotiations and accepts a deal acceptable to both sides.

The Houthis have shown they can hit global trade

The Houthis have previously demonstrated the ability to strike international shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. After the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, the Iran-backed group attacked merchant ships in the Red Sea, claiming to be targeting vessels linked to Israel.

This forced major shipping companies to divert ships around Southern Africa, significantly increasing transportation costs and prompting military intervention by the US and UK, as well as the creation of a multinational mission to protect shipping.

Andreas Krieg, a researcher at King's College London, described the latest Houthi threat as another "extreme option" for Iran after Hormuz, which Tehran would only use if it considered a return to full-scale war inevitable.

He warned that if the US increases attacks on Iranian strategic infrastructure, Tehran could respond by using its allies in Yemen to block the Bab el-Mandeb, deepening the blow to the global economy.

On the other hand, Abdulaziz Sager, head of the Gulf Research Center in Saudi Arabia, said that Gulf states increasingly believe that diplomacy with Iran has reached its limits, although a wider conflict would have high costs for the region.

He said the Houthis retain the ability to block shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but are unlikely to escalate without a clear order from Tehran. If that happens, he warned that the US and its allies could respond with a broader military operation to significantly weaken the group's capabilities.

The war, launched in late February by the United States and Israel, has destabilized the Persian Gulf and spread to several countries in the region, while Iran has attacked US military bases in several countries. According to reports, thousands of people have lost their lives during the conflict, mainly in Iran and Lebanon, writes Reuters.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×