Yemen's Incoming FM: Houthis Want Bab al-Mandeb as Iran's Hormuz Equivalent

Yemen's foreign minister-designate Afrah al-Zouba warned in Riyadh on 28 July 2026 that the Houthis aim to mirror Iran's leverage over the Strait of Hormuz by tightening grip on the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. A chokepoint is a narrow shipping lane with no detour. Together, both chokepoints could cut access to the Gulf and Red Sea — a route carrying roughly 30 percent of global container traffic.