Iran threatens to block Bab al-Mandab; here’s why it matters to global trade

3 min readJun 8, 2026 02:58 PM IST

The passage accounts for roughly 10 to 12 per cent of global oil and natural gas shipments. (Souce: Wikimedia Commons)

Iran has warned that the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, a critical global shipping corridor, could be blocked if Israel escalates military action against Iran.

Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, warned that the “resistance axis” has the capability to shut both the Bab al-Mandab and Strait of Hormuz if regional hostilities intensify.

“The security of today’s Bab Al Mandel should not lead the enemy into a miscalculation. The resistance circles have the capability to lock down both waterways; the choice is yours:

Stop the folly or enter a balanced regulation of the two straits,” he said in a post on X.

2) The current security of Bab al Mandab should not lead the enemy into a miscalculation. The Resistance Axis has the capability to lock down both #waterways

— Aliakbar Velayati (@Drvelayati_ir) June 7, 2026

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels, on Monday (Jun 8), claimed a new attack on Israel and declared that Israel-affiliated vessels are once again active targets in the Red Sea, placing the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the narrow Bab al-Mandab Strait that connects them in immediate danger.

What is Bab al-Mandab Strait?

The Bab al-Mandab Strait is a strategic maritime corridor at the southern entrance of the Red Sea that serves as a key gateway to the Suez Canal and connects Europe and Asia through one of the globe’s busiest shipping routes.

Located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa nations of Djibouti and Eritrea, the Strait narrows to about 29 kilometres at its tightest point.

In late 2023, Houthi rebels targeted commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea in retaliation for Israel’s war in Gaza. The attacks forced many shipping companies to reroute vessels, increasing fuel, insurance and crew-related costs.

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The Houthis had then launched over 100 attacks, killing at least nine mariners and sinking four ships, frequently targeting vessels with tangential or no actual ties to Israel.

The attacks disrupted shipping in the Red Sea, through which roughly $1 trillion in goods passed annually before the war.

This also heavily impacted transits through the Suez Canal, a vital source of hard currency for Egypt, which generated $10 billion in revenue for the country in 2023.

The strait has, however, remained navigable throughout the current war.

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Why is Bab al-Mandab Strait important?

Saudi Arabia is actively relying on its East-West Pipeline to export oil through the Red Sea as an alternative to the volatile Strait of Hormuz.

In the year 2024, about 4.1 million barrels of petroleum products passed through Bab al-Mandab daily, which amounts to five per cent of the global oil trade, highlighting the route’s strategic significance for international energy markets.

A closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait would pose a major challenge to global trade and energy markets by restricting access to one of the world’s most significant maritime corridors.

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