By Rameez Makhdoomi
Water is life, not just for the health of humans but the economy of the world too. Seas and oceans have always defined world trade. Shipping has always been a pivotal part of global trade.
In this regard, the realities of world geography prove that straits are crucial for international shipping, connecting seas and oceans. They facilitate global trade, energy security, and maritime transport. Examples include Bab al-Mandeb, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Strait of Malacca. Control of straits can impact geopolitics, trade routes, and regional stability, making them significant for global commerce and security.
As Iran has completely controlled the Strait of Hormuz, global oil prices have skyrocketed. Amid the Iran and USA, Israel war, the Strait of Hormuz, which is the oxygen route of about 25 percent of the world’s fuels, has gained world attention.
Amid this raging conflict, the Bab al-Mandeb strait has gained attention as it connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, a critical shipping route between Europe and Asia. It controls access to the Suez Canal, making it a key global trade point. It handles significant oil and LNG shipments, impacting global energy security and maritime trade. Its strategic location is crucial for international shipping.
As a matter of fact, Bab al-Mandeb means “Gate of Tears” in Arabic, referring to the treacherous waters of the strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
The Houthis of Yemen can control this strait at any moment if the conflict gets uglier. Although the Houthis are not completely controlled by Iran, they have been an integral part of the Iran-led alliance.
We need to know that in an English language post on X, Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, said the U.S. opposition “views Bab al-Mandeb as it does Hormuz”—the key oil-transport route Iran has effectively closed to maritime traffic as the war with the U.S. and Israel drags on.
Although Iran does not border the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Yemen does, and Iran is closely allied with the Houthis, who can choke it at any moment.
The statistics show this strait is no less important. An estimated 4.1 million barrels of petroleum products traveled through the strait per day in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency. In comparison, about 20 million barrels traveled through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, according to the International Energy Agency.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is one of the alternative routes for petroleum exporters to ship oil to Asia. About 7 million barrels of oil are now shipped to the Saudi Arabian city of Yanbu, a port on the Red Sea, through a pipeline.
Undoubtedly, any further escalation will bring Bab al-Mandeb into headlines and increase the world’s worries.
