AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Concerns have intensified over the possibility that the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran could escalate to a new phase focused on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, through which approximately 10% of global oil trade passes.
According to Al Jazeera, Ibrahim Farihat, professor of international conflicts at the Qatar Institute, states that merely announcing the possibility of closing this strait by Yemen’s armed forces is sufficient to create fear and instability in markets.
He explains that if this scenario materializes, oil tankers will be forced to reroute around the southern tip of Africa, increasing transportation time by 10 to 15 days and consequently driving up oil prices and intensifying economic uncertainty.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a maritime passage approximately 30 kilometers wide, holding significant strategic, economic, and military importance. Due to this, it has long been a stage for regional and international rivalries. It serves as the southern gateway to the Red Sea, connecting the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean, and is one of the most critical maritime trade routes linking East Asia to Europe.
Farihat believes Iran’s support for Yemen’s armed forces and its threat to close the strait are part of an indirect pressure strategy, enabling Iran to exert greater influence over global energy markets and increase the economic costs of war.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, spokesperson for Yemen’s armed forces, announced that his forces carried out attacks using cruise missiles and drones against targets in southern Palestine. He stressed that these operations were conducted simultaneously with actions by Iran and Hezbollah, and according to him, achieved their objectives successfully.
Three days prior, Iran’s IRGC had declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, stating that any attempt to pass through it would face a firm response. It was also emphasized that the passage of ships to ports of America’s and Israel’s allied countries would be prohibited via any maritime route.
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