Reuters reported today, citing three unnamed sources, that Iran has asked the Houthis to be ready to close the Bab el Mandab Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure. “The sources said the Houthis had been informed recently of Tehran’s request, which has not been previously reported,” Reuters said. “They did not give further details on how it had been conveyed or whether it was after U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to attack Iranian power infrastructure on Tuesday.”
“A source close to the Houthis said the group had completed preparations to attack shipping by deploying missiles and drones near Bab el-Mandeb strait, the gateway to the Red Sea, in Yemen’s highlands overlooking Hodeidah and the Gulf of Aden, and was awaiting the order to begin,” Reuters says further.
