Iran Threatens Regional Energy Routes Through Houthi Leverage

Tehran — Iran has signaled a new threat to regional energy corridors by invoking the Houthi movement in Yemen as a potential tool to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, one of the world’s most strategic maritime chokepoints.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard was quoted by state news agency IRNA as saying that energy exports in the region “must be for everyone, or denied to everyone.” On Wednesday, the Guard warned it could shut down “all other export routes benefiting the United States and its allies.”

Analysts cited by Reuters suggested that Tehran is hinting at using the Houthis to disrupt traffic through Bab al-Mandab, a move that could open a new front with Washington and jeopardize global trade and energy flows. 

The strait links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a vital passage for Saudi oil exports and a significant portion of global shipping.

A senior Houthi official said Monday the group was prepared to close Bab al-Mandab, claiming such a step could drive oil prices to $200 per barrel.

The escalation follows Washington’s announcement of a new round of strikes aimed at “weakening Iran’s ability to attack commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.” 

The U.S. military said Iran had attacked seven merchant ships over the past week, leaving about 12 crew members dead, missing, or injured.

U.S. Central Command confirmed its forces struck dozens of military targets near Hormuz and along Iran’s coastal areas in seven hours of raids.

Iranian officials reported heavy casualties from the strikes. Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said at least 30 civilians were killed in southern Iran, while the military confirmed the deaths of seven soldiers in an attack on the Bambur base in the southeast.

In Washington, President Donald Trump warned that U.S. strikes could expand next week to include Iran’s power stations and bridges if Tehran refuses to resume negotiations.

I’ll keep energy sector targets for the end, but we will hit them eventually,” Trump told Fox News, adding that U.S. negotiators had urged their Iranian counterparts to reach a deal.

The latest threats and counterstrikes highlight the growing risk of a wider regional confrontation, with Bab al-Mandab now emerging as a potential flashpoint alongside the already volatile Strait of Hormuz.