Yemen's Houthi movement has declared it is militarily prepared to strike the Bab Al Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Suez Canal, in solidarity with Iran. A Houthi leader said the group is ready to act but will wait for direction from its leadership, signaling that timing will depend on developments in the widening Middle East conflict.

The Bab Al Mandeb Strait, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, is a critical route for global shipping, particularly for crude oil and fuel shipments from the Gulf to Europe and Asia. Any disruption there would compound existing economic strain following Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of deeper instability in global energy markets.

The Houthis previously targeted international shipping in the Red Sea after the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas, saying their actions were in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Those attacks stopped after a ceasefire brokered by the United States in October 2025. Analysts say the group may be waiting for a strategic moment to reenter the conflict in coordination with Iran, potentially opening a new and highly disruptive front in the regional war.