Iran told Houthis to prepare to close Bab al-Mandab strait if US strikes energy sites, Reuters reports

WASHINGTON, United States — Iran has instructed Yemen's Houthis to prepare to shut the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea if the United States targets Iranian energy infrastructure, three sources told Reuters on Thursday. Two senior Iranian sources and one source from a regional country said the proposal has been discussed within the Islamic Republic's leadership and conveyed to the group for implementation in any potential confrontation with Washington. The sources said closing the Bab al-Mandab, one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, would pose a serious threat to energy supplies and international trade. The agencies of Reuters, which spoke to the unnamed sources, said Houthi forces could be deployed in the strait in the event of a US-Iran military clash over energy facilities. The report said the step is seen as a potential deterrent affecting global oil trade. Bab al-Mandab links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and carries a significant share of global seaborne oil shipments. The Houthis have previously targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea during the war in Gaza, disrupting major trade routes. The sources declined to be identified, Reuters reported. No further details were immediately available on how the Iranian instructions would be carried out or on Iran's broader coordination with the group.