Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have declared a ban on ships linked to Israel from transiting the Red Sea, a move that heightens concerns for global shipping and energy markets. This escalation follows renewed Israeli military actions against Iran. The Red Sea, leading to the Suez Canal, is a vital transit route, and Saudi Arabia has been rerouting over 70% of its normal daily crude oil exports to its Red Sea terminal at Yanbu via pipeline.
Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, announced that a new “security belt” of the so-called Axis of Resistance would extend from the Strait of Hormuz to Bab el-Mandeb and from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea. Qaani praised recent actions by Yemen and described them as evidence of growing coordination among groups aligned with Iran. He stated that the "Resistance Front" would respond collectively to what he described as Israeli and US actions in the region and suggested additional groups could become involved if necessary.
Any sustained threat to shipping in this critical waterway could significantly impact global energy flows and potentially influence oil prices. The Houthis stated that preventing Israeli ships from transiting the Red Sea is a preliminary step, warning of further escalation that could include stopping passage for any ships bound for Israel. Previous Houthi disruptions to Red Sea shipping, particularly during the Gaza war that began in October 2023, led major companies like Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd to divert routes around Africa, a longer and more expensive journey.
The Houthis, who adhere to the Zaydi sect of Shi'a Islam, strengthened ties with Iran after the 2011 Arab Spring and seized control of Yemen's capital in 2014. Saudi Arabia and its allies intervened militarily months later, viewing the Houthis as an Iranian proxy. While Iran champions the Houthis as part of its regional 'Axis of Resistance,' their ties are less clear than with other groups like Hezbollah. The U.S. alleges Iran has armed, funded, and trained the Houthis, though the group denies being an Iranian proxy and claims to develop its own weapons.
