Iran has instructed Houthi rebels in Yemen to close the Bab el-Mandeb strait if the United States launches attacks on Iranian power infrastructure.
The warning, reported by multiple wire services, introduces a direct conditional threat to one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, where roughly 10% of global oil trade passes daily.
Brent crude prices rose in the session as traders assessed the implications of the new escalation.
The move compounds existing supply-side risks, following reports that the US is preparing to extend its blockade of Iranian ports.
Markets are now pricing in a higher probability of transit disruption in the Red Sea, which could force tankers to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing voyage times and freight costs.
The threat marks a significant shift in the conflict’s dynamics, moving from direct military strikes to proxy-enabled chokepoint warfare.