Amid U.S.-Iran war, Houthi rebels threaten to blockade another key strait

Amid U.S.-Iran war, Houthi rebels threaten to blockade another key strait July 21, 20266:21 AM ET Emily Feng Yemeni supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement gather during a rally against what the group says are restrictions imposed by the Saudi-led coalition on Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, in Sanaa on July 17, 2026. Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Mohammed Huwais/AFP via Getty Images TEL AVIV — The Houthis, a Yemeni Shiite militia which is aligned with Iran, have announced a naval blockade of a key waterway, the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait. Middle East conflict The U.S.-Iran battle over the Strait of Hormuz raises risks for global waterways In a video statement, a Houthi spokesperson said the blockade was in retaliation for strikes from Saudi Arabia on a major airport in Yemen's capital, Sanaa. The Houthis have accused Saudi Arabia of hitting the airport while an Iranian official was traveling through it earlier this month. Bab Al-Mandeb connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, and it lets Saudi Arabia, one of the biggest oil producers in the world, get millions of barrels of oil a day out to the open ocean for export. Sponsor Message Bab Al-Mandeb has become even more important for Saudi Arabia now that the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed off by the U.S.- Iran war. Any potential Houthi blockade of the strait would rattle energy markets already shaken by the war in Iran and would likely raise energy prices further. The blockade would also test Gulf states' resolve to counter Iran and Iran-aligned groups in the Middle East, including the Houthis. Saudi Arabia condemned the blockade in a statement. The Houthis said in response that the Saudis were a "criminal" regime. The Houthi rebels are designated by the U.S. State Department as a terrorist group. Middle East conflict U.S. and Iran launch new strikes after 3 U.S. service members are killed Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates have be...