Iran reportedly tells Houthis to prepare Bab el-Mandeb closure if US targets power grid
Iranian officials reportedly asked Yemen's Houthi movement to prepare to disrupt a key global shipping route if the United States launches strikes on Iran's power infrastructure
TEHRAN, Iran (MNTV) — Iran has reportedly instructed Yemen’s Houthi movement to be prepared to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the United States attacks Iran’s electricity infrastructure, according to three sources cited by Reuters.
Two senior Iranian sources and a regional source familiar with the discussions said Tehran’s leadership had considered the option and communicated the request to its Houthi allies.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not specify how or when the message was delivered, nor whether it followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent warning that Washington could target Iran’s power network.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry and Houthi officials did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
A source close to the Houthis told Reuters that the group had completed preparations to target commercial shipping by positioning missiles and drones near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a strategic maritime gateway linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The source said the group was awaiting instructions before launching any operations.
The same source said members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stationed in Yemen would oversee the decision on whether to move forward with closing the waterway.
The reported contingency plan comes as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, raising concerns that simultaneous disruption of both waterways could severely affect global energy exports and maritime trade.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, carrying a significant share of international oil and commercial cargo traffic between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The Houthis are part of Iran’s regional alliance known as the “Axis of Resistance,” which also includes Lebanon’s Hezbollah and several Iraqi armed groups.
While some members of the alliance have been involved in the broader confrontation between Tehran and Washington, the Houthis have not formally entered the conflict.
The United States has long accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with weapons, funding and military training, allegations that Tehran has consistently denied.
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