According to senior Iranian sources cited by OilPrice, Iran's leadership has engaged in discussions with its Houthi allies regarding the possibility of closing the strategically critical Bab el-Mandeb strait—a chokepoint controlling access to the Red Sea—in response to threatened American strikes against Iranian infrastructure. The Houthi movement, which controls parts of Yemen, is reportedly on standby awaiting orders to commence operations against maritime traffic passing through the waterway.
Sources close to the Houthi organization indicate that the rebel group has stockpiled drones and advanced missile systems in preparation for such an operation. The positioning of these weapons suggests operational readiness should Tehran decide to activate the contingency plan. Disruption of traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb would have significant implications for global shipping and energy markets, given the strait's role as a critical juncture between the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean.
The reported coordination between Iran and the Houthis underscores the escalating tensions between Tehran and Washington. While the U.S. has made clear its potential willingness to target Iranian military assets, Iran's alleged instructions to proxy forces highlight the broader pattern of asymmetric responses that regional powers have increasingly employed in geopolitical confrontations.