Iran Urges Houthis to Prepare Bab al-Mandeb Closure if US Targets Energy Infrastructure

Iran has reportedly asked the Houthi group in Yemen to prepare for the closure of the strategic Bab al-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea. This request comes as a potential response should the United States launch an attack targeting Iran's energy infrastructure, a move that poses a new and serious threat to global energy supplies. According to three informed sources, including two senior Iranian officials and a regional source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, this proposition was discussed within Iran's top leadership. The sources indicated that Tehran's request was conveyed to the Houthi group recently, information not previously reported. Further details on how the request was delivered, or if it was made in response to a threat by US President Donald Trump to attack Iranian energy infrastructure earlier in the week, were not provided by the sources. Neither the Iranian Foreign Ministry nor a Houthi spokesperson was immediately available for comment.