Houthis Enter US-Iran War After Strikes on Israel, Could Impact Red Sea

Recent airstrikes on Israel launched by the Yemeni Houthi rebels could draw yet another party into the worsening US-Iran War, and their entrance into the conflict could have serious repercussions for the entire world.

The Houthi rebels have allied themselves with Iran during their progressive takeover of Yemen– they currently control the Yemeni capital of Sana'a and the nation's Red Sea coastline, maintaining authority over around 80% of Yemen's population.

Along with Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran's militant groups in Iraq, the Houthis are some of Iran's strongest proxy forces in the Middle East, and they have joined the fight against Israel. Hezbollah is currently fighting Israel in Lebanon, while Hamas has been decimated by Israel's devastating attacks on Gaza.

Local Israeli authorities confirmed that they had been targeted by at least one missile on Saturday, while the Houthis claimed they launched multiple missiles at Israeli military sites. Due to these new threats, Israel could face threats from three sides – Lebanon to the north, Iran to the east, and Yemen to the south – as the war continues, while the US is still striking military targets in Iran.

However, the largest concern right now is the possibility that the Houthis could block the Red Sea. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut down by Iran, the Bab al-Mandab Strait between Eritrea, Djibouti, and Yemen has become even more crucial, allowing trade to easily pass through the Red Sea without threats. More than 25% of the world's shipping containers pass through Bab al-Mandab as they sail to and from the Suez Canal, and it also facilitates over 12% of global oil shipments and 10-12% of natural gas shipments.

Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has ramped up exports along its western coast, with ports like Jeddah and Yanbu becoming essential. Jeddah's imports are expected to increase by at least 50% as cargo ships reroute through the Red Sea, allowing Saudi Arabia to move food and other crucial supplies through their nation and into Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE. Meanwhile, the city of Yanbu, which is directly connected to the Saudi Arabian East-West oil pipeline, has quadrupled their oil exports, jumping from just 750,000 barrels per day in February to over 4 million barrels each day in March.

If the Houthis were to shut down the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the price of oil would skyrocket, with no way to export oil out of the Middle East. The only way for ships to cross the world would be to sail around the Cape of Good Hope off the coast of South Africa, significantly increasing shipping costs. Consumers all over the world would bear the brunt of this impact, with almost all imports becoming more expensive. Meanwhile, the Middle East would be effectively closed off from the rest of the world, unable to import or export any goods without risking Houthi attacks.

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Image credit to EPA