Coalition warns Houthi threat to close Bab el-Mandeb Strait ‘may constitute a heightened risk’

A US-led naval combined coalition is keeping threat level at “moderate” for Yemen’s coast and  warned that new Houthi threats against shipping in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could represent a “heightened risk” for maritime traffic.

The Houthis have  threatened to close the waterway linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, pinching another crucial chokepoint as ships continue to avoid the Strait of Hormuz during the war in Iran.

Combined Maritime Forces, which protect shipping traffic in the Middle East, steed that the Houthis have s issued statements threatening to deny access to the Bab el-Mandeb.

Reports circulated recently  that the Houthis - who controlled parts of northwestern Red Sea Coast - may close the maritime corridor that connects Europe, Asia and Africa.

A representative of the Houthis said that if they do close the waterway, they would only attack vessels belonging to states carrying out strikes on Iran, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and is known as a strategic chokepoint linking the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean. It’s a vital route for global trade, particularly for oil and gas shipments between Europe and Asia