Iran Tells Houthis to Prepare for Bab el-Mandeb Closure

Iran told Yemen’s Houthi terrorist organization to prepare to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, according to three regional sources. A source close to the Houthis said the group had deployed missiles and drones in Yemen’s highlands overlooking Hodeidah, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea gateway, and was awaiting an order. The report said IRGC representatives already in Yemen would control the timing of any closure. The preparation would threaten a second strategic shipping chokepoint while traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained severely disrupted.