One month since the US invasion of Iran, the war is entering a new phase with the Houthis of Yemen firing missiles at Israel, which were intercepted. The Houthis represent Yemen’s Shia Muslim minority, and are formally known as Ansar Allah — “Partisans of God”. The group is named after its founder, Hussein al-Houthi, and draws from the Zaidi branch of Shiite Islam.
During the 1990s, they rebelled against Yemen’s central government, and after the Arab Spring in 2011, seized a northern province and later the capital Sanaa, which they still hold, along with most of Yemen’s Red Sea coastline. Since then, they have become a part of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” across the region, receiving weapons and missile technology. They have also developed the ability to assemble their own weapons inside Yemen.
Between late October 2023 and January 2025, the Houthis regularly launched missiles at Israel and attacked over 100 merchant vessels in the Red Sea in solidarity with the Palestinian people during the Gaza war, inviting Israeli air strikes. They have also been at loggerheads with the Saudi regime. The group has faced two bombing campaigns, first from the Joe Biden administration in January 2024, and then from the Donald Trump administration in March-May 2025.
Trump finally struck a “deal” with them, after admitting, “You could say there’s a lot of bravery there.”
On March 2, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually passes, was closed to shipping. It drastically slowed traffic in the Strait and sent the global fuel prices soaring.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the busiest global shipping routes, is considered an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz. But the Houthis can significantly hamper the traffic through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait (Arabic for “Gate of Tears” or “Gate of Grief”).
It is a vital 26-32 km (16-20 miles) wide maritime chokepoint, separating Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula from Djibouti and Eritrea in the Horn of Africa. It connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, and serves as a maritime artery for 10-12 per cent of global trade. It is important for dry bulk, tanker, gas, chemical and container trades from Asia to Europe via Suez.
During the first few weeks, the US-Israeli strikes targeted Iranian leadership and military infrastructure. However, when Iran didn’t capitulate as expected, Israel directly hit Iran’s energy sector and fuel infrastructure. Iran’s counterattacks have struck US bases across the Gulf, especially strategic infrastructure, further aggravating the energy crisis. Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu, a key export terminal for crude oil and products, is also under threat from drones and missiles from the Houthis.
Earlier this year, some major container liners had already rerouted their vessels. With these two straits entirely or partially closed, ships will have to go around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, adding between 3,000 and 6,000 nautical miles, and 14-20 days of transit time, with significantly higher costs for trade/ journeys between Asia and Europe.
Americans may be masters of science and technology, but when it comes to learning from history — not so much. This is especially true for President Trump. Despite the “Vietnam and Afghanistan Syndromes”, the US is said to be contemplating boots on the ground in Iran. The entry of the Houthis coincides with the deployment of thousands of extra US troops in the region, and the strong possibility of a ground invasion. Perhaps the two are linked.
Two days ago, an image, purportedly the front page of the Tehran Times, went viral as it invited US troops with the title “Welcome to Hell”, adding that the “US troops who step foot on Iranian soil will leave only in a coffin”. The Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, notorious for its hazardous conditions, including shallow waters, numerous reefs, unpredictable winds, and strong, chaotic currents, has witnessed many shipwrecks with huge casualties.
According to a local legend, due to these catastrophes and a large number of casualties during a massive earthquake, it came to be known as the “Strait of Death”. Now, with the involvement of the Houthis in the war, the situation on the ground and for global markets will inevitably get worse.
The writer is professor, Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
The group has faced two bombing campaigns, first from the Joe Biden administration in January 2024, and then from the Donald Trump administration in March-May 2025.
Trump finally struck a “deal” with them, after admitting, “You could say there's a lot of bravery there.” 
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