Houthi Forces May Control the Bab el-Mandeb Strait as Yemeni Government Prepares for Escalation of Conflict

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 28 - The Yemeni government stated on the 27th that the Houthi armed forces may "follow Iran" in controlling the Mandeb Strait, another international energy transport route in the Middle East, and that the Yemeni government is "prepared" for a possible escalation of conflict. The Houthi armed forces, on the other hand, stated that the Mandeb Strait has not been closed, and the recently announced maritime blockade measures are "only aimed at Saudi Arabia."

According to Reuters, the Yemeni government's incoming Foreign Minister, Afra Zuba, told reporters at the Yemeni embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that the Houthi armed forces are emulating Iran's strategy in the Strait of Hormuz, attempting to control the Mandeb Strait, which would result in both major shipping routes in the Middle East being obstructed.

Hours earlier, the Houthi armed forces announced the deployment of multiple drones to strike Saudi Arabia's crude oil transport network infrastructure in response to "Saudi drones violating Yemeni airspace."

Saudi Arabia and the Houthi armed forces recently erupted into serious conflict again, exacerbating the turmoil in the Middle East and obstructing passage through the Red Sea shipping lanes. Data from international market service provider Kpler shows that within six days after the Houthi attacks on Saudi tankers, the transport volume through the Mandeb Strait dropped by nearly 50% compared to the average level before the attacks.

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Iran at the end of February, passage through the Strait of Hormuz has been continuously obstructed, making the Red Sea route via the Mandeb Strait an important alternative channel for Saudi crude oil exports.

On the 20th, the Houthi armed forces announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, and on the 23rd, they announced the use of missiles and drones to attack two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea that violated their embargo order. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam stated on social media on the 24th that the Mandeb Strait has not been closed, and the maritime blockade measures announced by the Houthi armed forces are "only aimed at Saudi Arabia," as a response to Saudi Arabia's "blockade" of the Houthi-controlled areas.

The Saudi-led coalition launched strikes on Houthi military targets in Yemen's Hodeidah province on the 25th in response to Houthi attacks on its merchant vessels. (Wang Yifan)