Tehran... the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in exchange for electricity infrastructure
- Disruption of navigation in the Red Sea will intensify the energy crisis
- Qalibaf: We are fighting a life-and-death war with the US
Washington, Tehran, Dubai – AFP, Reuters – Amid the escalating conflict over control of the Strait of Hormuz, tensions between Washington and Tehran have continued to rise for the sixth consecutive day, marked by a back-and-forth exchange of attacks. This escalation has extended to Iranian assaults on neighboring countries and Jordan, as well as threats to target regional infrastructure if the United States follows through on its threats to strike power plants and bridges.
In this context, three sources told Reuters that Tehran has instructed Yemen’s Houthi rebels to prepare to close the Bab al-Mandab strait in the Red Sea if the United States attacks Iran’s power infrastructure. This development poses a new and serious threat to global energy supplies.
Two senior Iranian sources and a well-informed source from a regional country, who requested anonymity, stated that the idea had been discussed within the leadership of the Islamic Republic and that Tehran had recently informed the Houthis of its request—a detail not mentioned in any previous reports.
The sources provided no further details on how the request was communicated or whether it followed US President Donald Trump’s threat to attack power plants and bridges in Iran during the coming week unless Tehran resumes negotiations.
A source close to the Houthis said the “Ansar Allah” movement has completed its preparations to launch attacks on cargo ships by deploying missiles and drones near the Bab al-Mandab strait in the Red Sea, positioned in the Yemeni highlands overlooking Hodeidah and the Gulf of Aden, and is awaiting orders to begin.
Any threat to the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait threatens to significantly worsen the global energy crisis triggered by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the severe risks inherent in any new round of war.
With the Strait of Hormuz already closed, any Houthi attacks on ships or ports in the Red Sea would simultaneously disrupt the two main oil export routes in the Middle East, opening a new front in both the energy crisis and the broader Iranian-US conflict.
A source close to the Houthis stated that representatives of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps currently in Yemen would control the decision on when to close the Bab al-Mandab strait.
Another source in the region noted that Tehran is seeking to pressure Washington by raising the potential cost to the global economy, describing this as part of “Iranian thinking.”
He added that closing the strait would not be difficult, remarking, “Anyone with a rifle can disrupt navigation. There is no need for advanced missiles to hinder navigation.”
In Tehran, Brigadier Mohammad Akbari Nejad, spokesperson for the Iranian Army, responded to Trump’s warnings by stating that the armed forces would bomb “all remaining infrastructure” across the region if Trump carries out his threat. He added that the response would be broader in scope and more destructive than previous attacks.
On the ground, US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had struck military sites in several Iranian areas, including the Gulf city of Bandar Abbas, aiming to undermine Iran’s ability to threaten navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Earlier, the US military announced that one of its aircraft fired upon and disabled an empty oil tanker after it attempted to break the naval blockade imposed on Iranian ports.
Three US officials told Reuters that the strikes aimed at forcing Iran to open the strait also target military capabilities that Washington seeks to destroy before carrying out “more complex” operations.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported explosions in several areas on Thursday, including Lorestan province (west) and Semnan (north), while air defense systems were activated in the capital, Tehran.
Following Wednesday evening strikes, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, head of Iran’s parliament and chief negotiator, issued a statement saying, “We are engaged in an existential and life-and-death war with the United States.”
Despite this major escalation, the mediated talks between the two sides have not officially concluded.
Tahir Andrabi, spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated, “Although the implementation of the memorandum of understanding faces difficulties, Pakistan will continue to encourage all parties to end violence and resume technical discussions in accordance with the provisions of the memorandum.”
However, Qalibaf said, “If the Islamic Republic of Iran derives no benefit (…), then we have no justification for adhering to such an understanding.”
In Manama, the General Command of the Bahrain Defense Force announced that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed several treacherous Iranian aerial attacks on Thursday morning.
President Donald Trump described the release of an American citizen who had been detained in Iran as a “gesture of goodwill.” He wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday evening that an American who had been “unjustly detained” since 2024 under the administration of former President Joe Biden had been allowed to leave Iran.
He added, “She is now safely out of Iran and in good health. The United States appreciates this gesture of goodwill from Iran.”
