In 2023 Houthi forces in Yemen attacked commercial ships passing through Bab el-Mandeb Strait in response to Israelβs invasion of the Gaza Strip (see Israel-Hamas War). The attacks caused traffic through the strait to fall below half its normal capacity, as shipping companies rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope. Although the attacks largely subsided in 2025, traffic through the strait recovered only slightly before the outbreak of the 2026 Iran war renewed attention on the strait. Following the breakdown of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran in July 2026, Houthi leaders announced a blockade on Saudi shipping through Bab el-Mandeb Strait. On July 23, Houthi forces struck two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea north of the strait.
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