Yemen warns Bab Al Mandeb is at risk of becoming a ‘blackmail card’
Yemen's UN envoy Abdullah Al Saadi told an emergency Security Council meeting that the Bab Al Mandeb strait risks becoming a 'blackmail card' for a transnational terrorist group, and urged countries to share responsibility for securing the waterway. The Houthis have seized Yemen's entire Red Sea coastline and control of the strait. Britain's deputy UN ambassador said Iran's support enables Houthi attacks that threaten maritime security.
Why it matters: This matters for maritime security, as the strait's status as a global trade and energy gateway makes its control a strategic concern.