Yemen’s government says the Houthi movement is trying to copy Iran’s approach in the Strait of Hormuz by using pressure on a key maritime chokepoint in the Red Sea. According to Yemen’s top diplomat, the group’s strategy centers on disrupting commercial traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb, one of the world’s most important shipping routes.
The warning points to growing concern that attacks or threats against vessels in the area are part of a broader effort to gain leverage through maritime instability. By drawing a comparison with Iran’s Hormuz playbook, Yemeni officials are framing the Red Sea threat as a deliberate attempt to influence regional security and global trade flows.
Yemen’s foreign minister also said the Houthis have been encouraged by what he described as an insufficient international response. That assessment suggests officials believe limited deterrence has allowed the group to continue testing the boundaries of how much disruption it can cause in and around the Bab el-Mandeb.
The remarks add to wider fears over shipping security in the Red Sea, where any sustained pressure on traffic can have consequences far beyond Yemen. With the Bab el-Mandeb linking the Red Sea to major global trade lanes, renewed disruption there would deepen concerns about maritime safety, supply chains and regional stability.
