Iran threatens to close Bab el-Mandeb, a critical Red Sea shipping lane, if the US continues attacks on Iranian infrastructure. The warning was delivered to Yemen’s Houthi movement, according to reports on Thursday.
The plan was discussed with Tehran’s leadership, Reuters reported. Houthi officials said they have prepared drones and missiles near the strait and are ready to strike vessels if ordered.
With the Strait of Hormuz already closed, a shutdown at Bab el-Mandeb would block both of the Middle East’s main oil export routes at the same time. Markets reacted immediately to the prospect.
US forces resumed a naval blockade against Iran on Tuesday. President Donald Trump warned Tehran it “better behave” as American strikes targeted command centers, missile sites and coastal defenses for a fifth consecutive night.
Houthis Red Sea Attacks Raise Risk To Global Trade
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said all Saudi oil facilities would be targets if Riyadh deepened involvement in the US-Iran conflict. The group fired missiles at Saudi Arabia earlier this week.
The warning marks a rupture in a four-year truce between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia. The Iran-aligned group previously hit Saudi energy infrastructure in 2019 and 2022.
“We are prepared to attack shipping in Bab el-Mandeb,” a Houthi statement said. Analysts say the group has deployed weapons along Yemen’s coast in recent days.
Shipping companies are already rerouting vessels. Insurance costs have spiked, and several operators have suspended Red Sea transits until security improves.
The US Central Command confirmed strikes near the strait. A missile was fired into an unladen tanker that ignored warnings while approaching Iran’s Kharg Island, officials said.
US Strikes Iran 2026 Target Missile Sites And Coastal Defenses
American attacks expanded into northern Iran for the first time in this round. Iranian state media reported hits around Tehran and Semnan province, home to ballistic missile production.
Other strikes were reported in Hamedan, Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Sistan and Baluchestan, and on Qeshm Island near Hormuz. Greater Tunb Island was also targeted.
Greater Tunb sits at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. Iran seized it in 1971 and uses it to exert control over tanker traffic passing through the narrow waterway.
US officials said the goal was to degrade Iran’s ability to launch missiles and drones. Iranian authorities said more than 35 people have been killed and over 300 wounded.
The interim ceasefire agreed last month has collapsed. Both sides are now trading strikes daily, with Iran launching missiles at US allies in the region in response.
President Trump addressed the escalation directly. “Tehran better behave,” he said, linking renewed strikes to Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Iran “wants to make a deal.” She said Tehran violated an understanding not to fire on commercial vessels in Hormuz.
“Specifically, in the memorandum of understanding that they signed, they were not to fire on commercial vessels moving through the Strait of Hormuz,” Leavitt said.
She added the strait remains open for ships not bound to Iranian ports. “The US Navy remains there to ensure that can take place,” she said.
Leavitt described Iran as a “fragmented system.” She said Trump is open to diplomacy but will “hold them accountable” for attacks on shipping.
Vice President JD Vance also weighed in during an interview. He claimed some Israeli officials want the conflict to continue “indefinitely” and are trying to influence US opinion.
“I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there have been people within the Israeli government who are trying to actually shift us away from that policy,” Vance said.
Strait Of Hormuz Closure Complicates Energy Markets
Iran has called Hormuz a red line. Officials warned of attacks on regional infrastructure if US strikes continue, raising fears of a wider war.
India has already responded. The Directorate General of Shipping ordered companies not to deploy Indian seafarers on vessels passing through Hormuz until further notice.
India supplies more than 300,000 sailors to global fleets. Two Indian seafarers were killed in attacks on vessels in the region over the last three days.
Oil prices climbed on the news. Traders fear simultaneous disruption at Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb would cut off most Gulf exports and drive prices sharply higher.
The US said it disabled a Curacao-flagged tanker heading toward Iran’s main export terminal. The ship, officials said, ignored multiple warnings before being struck.
Central Command called it part of enforcing the naval blockade. The tanker was not carrying cargo, but authorities said it was attempting to reach Kharg Island.
Iranian media portrayed the strikes as aggression. State outlets showed footage of damage around Tehran and quoted officials vowing retaliation against US bases in the region.
Regional diplomacy is stalled. US-mediated talks in Rome led Lebanon and Israel to discuss “pilot zones” for withdrawal in southern Lebanon, but no breakthrough on Iran.
Syria also reported intercepting a weapons shipment from Iraq. Authorities said the arms were likely intended for Hezbollah, which remains engaged with Israel.
As night fell, strikes continued. Targets included defense sites on islands near Hormuz and missile facilities deeper inside Iran.
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The Independent reported live updates throughout the day as the situation developed, with correspondents tracking military and diplomatic moves.
For shipping, the danger is immediate. Two chokepoints, two threats, and little sign of de-escalation.
Markets, governments and insurers are watching Bab el-Mandeb closely. A single drone strike there could close the route for weeks.
Iran threatens to close Bab el-Mandeb, and the Houthis say they are ready. The next 48 hours will decide whether that threat becomes reality.
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