A senior Houthi official in Yemen has indicated that the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait could become a target in the ongoing military escalation involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, as the conflict enters its second month with growing regional implications.
Speaking on Saturday, Mohammed Mansour, deputy information minister in the Houthi-run government, said the Iran-backed group has not ruled out taking measures that could disrupt one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. The Bab al-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and serves as a vital corridor for global oil and commercial shipping.
Mansour’s remarks came shortly after the Houthis launched missile strikes toward Israel, marking their first direct attack since the United States and Israel initiated a joint offensive against Iran last month. The development signals a widening of the conflict, with additional regional actors becoming actively involved.
“We are in joint coordination with our brothers in Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq,” Mansour said in an interview with Al-Araby Television, underscoring what he described as an emerging alliance among groups aligned against Israel and the United States.
According to the Houthi official, the group’s decision to enter the conflict was driven by a desire to support Iran and its regional allies, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces. He described the ongoing military campaign as part of a broader effort to apply pressure on Israel and the United States.
“We joined the war to provide support to our brothers in Iran who are fighting epic battles,” Mansour stated, adding that the Houthis’ actions are “carefully calculated” to maximize their strategic impact.
He further explained that Yemen bears what he called a “moral, religious, and humanitarian responsibility” toward its allies, while also framing the broader alliance as one primarily aimed at supporting the Palestinian cause.
The possibility of targeting maritime routes has raised significant concerns among international observers, given the critical importance of the Red Sea corridor to global trade. The Bab al-Mandeb Strait, in particular, is a key passage for oil shipments from the Middle East to Europe and other parts of the world. Any disruption to traffic through the strait could have immediate and far-reaching economic consequences.
Mansour suggested that maritime operations could form part of the Houthis’ strategy moving forward, noting that the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait are all under consideration as potential areas of action.
“The Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and Bab al-Mandeb will be among the options,” he said, while emphasizing that any decisions would be based on detailed military and political assessments.
He also pointed to the group’s previous operations targeting shipping lanes in the Red Sea, which were carried out in response to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. According to Mansour, those operations demonstrated the Houthis’ capability to conduct both naval and land-based attacks.
“We have extensive experience in naval and land operations, and our previous intervention to support Gaza was one of the important surprises for the world,” he said.
The Houthi group has previously launched missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli territory as well as commercial vessels in the Red Sea, actions that have disrupted maritime traffic and heightened security concerns among international shipping operators.
Addressing the possibility of closing the Bab al-Mandeb Strait or attacking vessels transiting the route, Mansour indicated that such measures would depend largely on the level of escalation by Israel and the United States, as well as any potential ground operations in the region.
“This depends on the Israeli and US escalation, and the American preparations for any ground movement,” he said, suggesting that the group’s response would be calibrated to developments on the battlefield.
He stressed that Yemen’s leadership retains full autonomy in its decision-making process, noting that any actions taken would be carefully considered to ensure effectiveness and strategic value.
“The Yemeni leadership makes its decisions independently based on military and political assessments, taking into account that any step will be calculated and effective,” Mansour added.
The latest developments come amid a rapidly intensifying regional conflict that began with a joint US-Israeli offensive on Iran on February 28. The campaign has reportedly resulted in over 1,340 deaths, including that of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, significantly escalating tensions across the Middle East.
In response, Iran has launched a series of retaliatory drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as US military assets in Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf states. These attacks have caused casualties, damaged infrastructure, and contributed to disruptions in global markets and aviation.
Analysts warn that the potential involvement of the Houthis in targeting key maritime routes could further internationalize the conflict, drawing in additional stakeholders and increasing the risk of a broader confrontation.
With global energy supplies and shipping lanes at stake, the situation in the Red Sea and surrounding waters is being closely monitored by governments and industry players alike. Any move to close or disrupt access to the Bab al-Mandeb Strait would mark a significant escalation with potentially severe consequences for international trade and regional stability.
As tensions continue to mount, diplomatic efforts to contain the crisis face mounting challenges, with multiple actors signaling readiness to escalate further if hostilities persist.
