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Akbar Novruz

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The Iran-backed Houthi movement is reportedly preparing to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world's most important maritime trade routes, AzerNEWS reports via the Telegraph.

The report says the group has not yet taken action and is waiting for what it considers the right moment as part of a broader Iranian campaign to increase pressure on the United States and its allies.

If the Bab al-Mandab Strait were to be closed, commercial vessels would be forced to take a much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa, significantly increasing shipping times and transportation costs.

The reported strategy mirrors concerns over the Strait of Hormuz, another critical global energy chokepoint, where disruptions have repeatedly raised fears over global oil supplies and international trade.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, serving as a vital gateway for cargo and energy shipments traveling between Europe and Asia via the Suez Canal. Any prolonged disruption to traffic through the strait could have significant implications for global supply chains and maritime commerce.

According to The Telegraph, the Houthis are holding off on implementing the move for now while monitoring regional developments as part of Iran's wider strategic pressure campaign.

The Houthi Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that "the Saudi regime has declared war and must bear full responsibility for it" following strikes on Sanaa International Airport, AzerNEWS reports.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out the attack, calling it "blatant and unjust aggression."

Yemen's internationally recognized government, however, has claimed responsibility for targeting the airport's runway, saying it launched the strike to stop an Iranian delegation's plane from landing.

Air strikes have hit the international airport in Sanaa, the Houthi-held capital of Yemen, said the rebels and the country's exiled government.

The Ministry of Defence of Yemen's internationally recognised government said it attacked the runway to prevent an Iranian aircraft from landing on Yemeni soil, SABA reports.

The Iran-backed Houthis took over the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, prompting intervention by a Saudi-led coalition the following year, at the request of the internationally recognised government.

"The Houthi terrorist militias, supported by the Iranian regime, prevented Yemeni national aircraft from landing at the capital's airport, Sanaa, and insisted that the Iranian aircraft violate Yemeni airspace. Therefore, the airport runway was targeted," the ministry said in a statement.

Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree, in a statement, accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out July 13 strikes.