Saudi Arabia warns Trump: US blockade of Iran could backfire, choke Kingdom’s own oil lifeline, says report
Gulf states don't want the war to end with Iran still controlling Strait of Hormuz, but many, Saudi Arabia included, are pushing Washington to resolve the standoff at the table, WSJ reported, citing regional officials.
Saudi Arabia is reportedly urging the United States to lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations, warning that President Donald Trump’s move to choke off Iranian oil could provoke Tehran into disrupting other critical shipping lanes.
The blockade, which took effect Monday after weekend talks in Pakistan’s Islamabad and Trump’s threats of further bombardment failed to loosen Iran’s grip on Hormuz, is designed to squeeze an Iranian economy already battered by months of war. But Saudi Arabia has cautioned Washington that Iran could hit back by shutting the Bab al-Mandeb, the Red Sea chokepoint that has become the kingdom’s lifeline for oil exports since Hormuz was sealed off, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Arab officials.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz at the beginning of the West Asia war by striking vessels in the waterway, knocking out roughly 13 million barrels a day of oil exports and pushing crude futures past $100 a barrel. Saudi Arabia has since clawed its exports back to the pre-war level of about seven million barrels a day by pumping crude across the desert to its Red Sea terminal at Yanbu, a workaround that collapses if Bab al-Mandeb is closed, the report added.
IRAN WAR 2026 — EXPLAINER
Bab al-Mandeb: Iran's second chokepoint, explained
A 20-mile strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa is back in play as Tehran's most credible lever beyond the Strait of Hormuz.
GEOGRAPHY
An 18-mile gate between Yemen and the Horn of Africa
Bab al-Mandeb — Arabic for "Gate of Tears" — is the narrow strait separating Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula from Djibouti and Eritrea on the Horn of Africa. At its narrowest point it is about 29 km (18 miles) wide. It links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and, from there, to the Indian Ocean — forming the southern gateway of the Suez Canal route between Asia and Europe.
18 mi
Width at its narrowest point (~29 km)
9.3M
Barrels of oil & petroleum transited daily in 2023, peak pre-Houthi strikes (EIA)
12%
Estimated share of global trade by volume
CONTROL
One Yemeni shore is all it takes
The Yemeni side of the strait is held by the Houthis. Because anti-ship missiles and drones easily reach across an 18-mile waterway, controlling just one bank is enough to threaten every vessel that passes — a capability the group demonstrated during the Gaza war, when its strikes cut oil flows through the strait by more than half.
◆
Yemen coast under Houthi control
The group holds the eastern shore of the strait, giving its weapons range across the full width of the passage.
●
Gaza war precedent
Oil flows through the strait fell from 8.7 million bpd in 2023 to 4.0 million bpd by mid-2024, per EIA and Vortexa data — more than 50% down.
→
Cape of Good Hope detour
Vessels avoiding the strait must loop around southern Africa, adding weeks and millions of dollars to each voyage.
SAUDI EXPOSURE
Yanbu becomes the western lifeline
With the Strait of Hormuz blockaded, Saudi Arabia has increasingly routed crude through Yanbu — its Red Sea oil terminal, which sits north of Bab al-Mandeb — via the 5 million bpd East-West Pipeline from Abqaiq, now running near full capacity. If the Houthis close Bab al-Mandeb, that oil is stranded inside the Red Sea with no southern exit to Asian markets.
HORMUZ — EAST EXIT
Blockaded. Gulf-side exports already choked off.
BAB AL-MANDEB — WEST EXIT
If closed, Yanbu's crude has no southern route to Asia.
STRATEGIC LEVERAGE
Tehran's most credible second lever
Iran has openly named Bab al-Mandeb as its fallback chokepoint. Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to the Supreme Leader, warned in April 2026 that the "Resistance front" views Bab al-Mandeb the same way it views Hormuz — and the IRGC has signalled it may ask its Houthi allies to shut the strait. The lever works without Iran firing a shot itself.
THE COMBINED SQUEEZE
Two chokepoints, one pressure play
Hormuz alone hurts Gulf producers. Bab al-Mandeb alone hurts Red Sea traffic. Together, they shut Saudi Arabia's eastern and western exits at once — and drive up the cost of every container moving between Asia and Europe via Suez.
TAGS
Iran War 2026Bab al-MandebStrait of HormuzHouthisYanbuRed Sea shipping
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); Al Jazeera; Britannica; Time; Earth.org; Vortexa tanker-tracking data
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended the blockade. “President Trump has been clear that he wants the Strait of Hormuz to be fully open to facilitate the free flow of energy,” she said. “The administration is in frequent contact with our Gulf allies, who the President is helping by ensuring that Iran cannot extort the United States or any other country.”
Houthis back in the frame
Arab officials told WSJ that Iran is now leaning on its Houthi allies in Yemen, who control a long stretch of coastline along Bab al-Mandeb, to reprise the disruption campaign they waged through much of the Gaza war. Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has floated a Red Sea closure as a response to the US move.
“If Iran does want to shut down Bab al-Mandeb, the Houthis are the obvious partner to do it, and their response to the Gaza conflict demonstrates that they have the capacity to do it,” Adam Baron, a Yemen expert at New America, a Washington-based policy institute, was quoted as saying.
Gulf states push for talks
Gulf states don’t want the war to end with Iran still controlling Hormuz, but many, Saudi Arabia included, are pushing Washington to resolve the standoff at the table, regional officials said. Despite public posturing, both sides are engaging mediators and remain open to talks if each shows flexibility.
Story continues below this ad
US-Iran Peace Talks: Islamabad Round 1 to Round 2
First direct US-Iran engagement since 1979 hits a wall, but negotiators may return to Pakistan this weekend
Ceasefire Declared
Guns fall silent in the Gulf
Washington and Tehran announce a ceasefire, ending the hottest phase of the war. Round 1 of direct talks is scheduled for four days later in Islamabad.
Last Weekend · Islamabad
Round 1: Vance meets Qalibaf, no breakthrough
US Vice President JD Vance and Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf lead the first direct US-Iran encounter in over a decade — and the most senior engagement since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Talks end without agreement.
Post-Round 1 · Vance
Washington tables 'final and best offer'
Vance tells reporters the US proposal is on the table and the ball is in Tehran's court.
"We leave here with a very simple proposal… our final and best offer. We'll see if the Iranians accept it."
Tue, April 14 · Islamabad
Pakistan signals Round 2 is on the cards
Pakistani and Iranian officials tell Reuters a proposal has been sent to Washington and Tehran for delegations to return. A senior Pakistani official says Islamabad reached out to Iran and received a "positive response" on a second round.
Fri–Sun · Expected Window
Round 2 window kept open
A senior Iranian source says delegations are keeping Friday through Sunday open for a possible meeting. An Iranian embassy official in Islamabad adds the next round "can come sometime later this week or earlier next week" — nothing finalised.
Saudi energy officials told WSJ that Riyadh had secured commitments from the Houthis not to target the kingdom or its ships transiting Bab al-Mandeb. But the kingdom has warned Washington that the situation is fluid and the Houthis could escalate, or begin charging transit fees on shipping, if Iran pushes harder.
“That would then be a way for Iran to escalate back, saying that if you’re going to restrict our oil exports, we will then disrupt your Yanbu terminal exports,” said Erik Meyersson, chief emerging markets strategist at Swedish bank SEB.
The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis.
A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students.
All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence.
Core Team
The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy:
Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership.
Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage.
Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. ... Read More
