DID Press: Sources close to Yemen’s Ansarullah movement say the group is considering using the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait as leverage against Saudi Arabia, warning that Saudi-linked vessels could be barred from transiting the Red Sea if Riyadh ignores Sana’a’s demands.
According to the sources, the movement is assessing measures to increase pressure on Saudi Arabia through one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints.
They said that if Saudi Arabia fails to respond to warnings issued by Sana’a, Yemeni armed forces could move to prevent Saudi-affiliated ships from navigating the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Bab el-Mandeb is one of the world’s key maritime trade routes, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden. Any disruption to shipping through the strait could have significant implications for regional and global trade and maritime security.