Tehran:Iran hinted on Saturday that it might expand its maritime strategy by focusing on another important chokepoint, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. This raised worries about supply chains and energy flows, even though the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is still going on and affecting trade around the world. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, hinted at the possibility of major problems in a series of questions he posted on X.
"What percentage of the world's shipments of oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertilizer go through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait?" Which countries and businesses send the most goods through the strait?
Since February 28, ships have not been able to pass through Hormuz.The Iranian Parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, gave a hint that maritime traffic through Hormuz is still stopped because the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, starting a war that has made global markets tighter.
He also asked which countries and businesses depend on the route the most, which suggests that Tehran may be finding key pressure points to get the most out of its economic power. He also asked, "Which countries and companies send the most goods through the strait?"
The suggestion to close this sea route comes at the same time as a new military escalation. According to state media, Iranian and allied forces launched "Wave 93" as part of Operation True Promise 4. The attack targeted military sites in Western Galilee, Haifa, Kafr Kanna, and Krayot that were connected to Israel.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also said it used both missiles and drones in its attacks and promised to keep doing so. Iran also said that the attacks were in response to earlier attacks on its infrastructure, but reports of heavy losses are still unverified.
Do you know everything there is to know about the Bab el-Mandeb Strait?The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, also called the "Gate of Tears," is a 30-kilometer-wide maritime chokepoint that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and separates Yemen (Arabian Peninsula) from Djibouti (Horn of Africa). This strait is a major trade route for the world, carrying 10–12% of all maritime trade and almost 6 million barrels of oil every day.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is between Yemen and Djibouti. It connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean through the Suez Canal.
Look into the global importance of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.A major way for oil and LNG to get from the Gulf to Europe and North America. Attacks on commercial ships by Yemen's Houthi forces, especially those linked to Israel, make the strait a high-risk area for global shipping right now.
Ships must go around the Cape of Good Hope when vessels are blocked in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This adds 2–3 weeks to journeys and raises freight costs by a lot.