Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Bab el-Mandeb Strait, strait between Arabia (northeast) and Africa (southwest) that connects the Red Sea (northwest) with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean (southeast). For millennia the strait has been a hub for sea trade between East Africa, Arabia, and India as well as a point of transit between the continents of Africa and Asia. After the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, the strait took on global importance by allowing sea trade between Asia and Europe to bypass navigation around Africa and traverse the Mediterranean Sea. Due in part to the strait’s role in global shipping, foreign military bases have been established in nearby Djibouti, including those of the United States, China, and several European countries.

In the 21st century Bab el-Mandeb Strait accounts for about one-tenth of seaborne oil trade, making it the third busiest chokepoint in global oil trade after the Strait of Malacca and the Strait of Hormuz, and about one-fourth of global container trade also passes through the strait. After Houthi forces in Yemen launched attacks on commercial ships in 2023 in response to the Israel-Hamas War, traffic through the strait fell below half its normal capacity. The attacks largely subsided in 2025, but traffic had not significantly recovered before fear of attacks on shipping were renewed by the 2026 Iran war. In July 2026, following the breakdown in a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, Houthi forces renewed its Red Sea attacks by targeting Saudi ships. In September the Houthi movement advanced on Yemeni territory surrounding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and gained direct control over the area for the first time.

Physiology and shipping

The strait is 20 miles (32 km) wide and separates Yemen to the east and Eritrea and Djibouti to the west. It is divided into two channels by Perim (Mayun) Island; the western channel is 16 miles (26 km) across, and the eastern is 2 miles (3 km) wide. International shipping takes place primarily in the western channel, which has a depth of about 650 feet (200 meters). The eastern channel is much shallower, reaching about 100 feet (30 meters) at its deepest point and only 35 feet (10 meters) in some areas, and is used primarily for local traffic using small vessels. The flow through the strait provides for the circulation between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, since no flow takes place through the Suez Canal.

Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.

SIGN UP

By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Britannica Quiz

Water and its Varying Forms

Beyond energy traffic, vessels transiting the strait carry bulk commodities such as grain and raw materials as well as a wide range of manufactured goods moving between Asian production centers and European markets. The route accommodates multiple vessel types, including bulk carriers and roll-on/roll-off ships.

Incidents targeting Bab el-Mandeb Strait

The waters of the strait have repeatedly been a site of conflict because of their importance to global trade and energy transport.

During the Yom Kippur War between Egypt and Israel in 1973, Egyptian ships coordinated with Egypt’s allies in South Yemen to blockade oil tankers en route to Israel through the strait.

In the early 21st century, piracy became a major concern in the waters around the strait, particularly in association with instability in Somalia. International naval patrols were implemented to protect commercial shipping. Although such efforts reduced attacks, the underlying conditions that enabled piracy have persisted in the region.

Explore Britannica Premium!

The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.

SUBSCRIBE

In 2023 Houthi forces, by then the dominant faction in the ongoing Yemeni Civil War, stepped up attacks on ships passing through the strait in response to Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip. Traffic fell below half of its normal level as shipping companies began rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, adding significant time and distance to their shipping routes. The attacks largely subsided after Houthi leaders agreed to a ceasefire with the United States in May 2025, but traffic recovered only slightly by early 2026 as the underlying tensions of the conflict remained unresolved and the safety of commercial shipping remained uncertain.

In March 2026, after the outbreak of the 2026 Iran war and the consequent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) suggested it may ask its Houthi allies to block Bab el-Mandeb Strait in order to add further strain to global markets and encourage international pressure on the United States and Israel. Following the breakdown of a ceasefire reached in June between the United States and Iran, Houthi leaders announced a blockade on ships originating from or passing through Saudi ports. On July 23, Houthi forces attacked two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea north of the strait. In September an advance on the port town of Mokha and Perim Island gave the Houthi movement direct control over the Yemeni side of the strait for the first time.