Iran Instructs Houthis to Ready Red Sea Blockade If US Strikes: Oil Implications

Iran has reportedly asked Yemen’s Houthi movement to be prepared to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, according to a Reuters report citing senior Iranian sources and a regional source familiar with the matter.

The plan was discussed within Iran’s leadership, and the message was conveyed to Iran’s Houthi allies. The Houthis were recently informed of the request, the sources said.

A source close to the Houthis told Reuters that the group has deployed missiles and drones near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic waterway at the southern end of the Red Sea. The Houthis are awaiting orders to begin attacks on vessels transiting the strait.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, with an estimated 6.2 million barrels per day of crude oil and petroleum products passing through it in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A blockade could significantly disrupt global oil supplies and raise energy prices.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States. The U.S. has warned Iran against further escalation in the region, while Iran has threatened retaliation for any attack on its territory. The Houthis, who control large parts of Yemen including the Red Sea coast, have previously targeted Saudi oil facilities and vessels in the area.

Analysts caution that while a blockade remains a contingency plan, its implementation would depend on the scale of any U.S. military action against Iran. The situation underscores the fragile security environment in the region and the potential for broader conflict.

No official confirmation has been provided by Iranian or Houthi authorities. The U.S. Department of Defense has not commented on the report.