Iran threatens to close Bab al-Mandab Strait
According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the IRGC said in a statement that the region’s energy exports would be “either for everyone or for no one”.
Analysts told Reuters that Iran was signalling it could rely on its Houthi allies in Yemen to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the strategic waterway leading to the Red Sea. Such a move could open a new front against Washington and threaten two of the world’s most important energy shipping routes.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a key route for Saudi oil exports and a significant share of global maritime trade.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260715-iran-threatens-to-close-bab-al-mandab-strait/Open linkView original on lemmy.ml
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Bab-al-Mandab handles way more than oil, a huge amount of sea cargo heading to Europe uses it to access the Mediterranean via Suez.
Oh yeah it's big for lots of other stuff. But since UAE is transporting oil to the other side of their land by pipeline, Bab el Mandeb would also block the backup oil transport route to Europe.
Iran has massive strategical cards to play to the point you really start wondering who thought attacking them without a backup energy plan would be a good idea.
Today, I've learned of the second Strait I can name.
Though this name is a bit harder to remember the exact spelling.
Straits have never come up so much in conversation
The Strait of Malacca is regularly in the news as it's another significant maritime choke point.
Now that I'm calling attention to it, you will probably start to notice it a lot more.