Iran has reportedly instructed Yemen's Houthi movement to be on standby to shut down the Red Sea oil shipping route if the United States carries out a strike on Iranian power infrastructure, according to three sources who spoke to Reuters on Thursday. The reported move signals a potential escalation that could significantly disrupt global energy supplies.
According to the sources, the proposal has been discussed within Iran's leadership as part of contingency plans in response to growing tensions with Washington. They said Tehran has already communicated the request to its Houthi allies in Yemen.
Two senior Iranian officials and a regional source familiar with the matter, all speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that the Houthis were recently informed of Iran's position. They noted that this is the first time details of the alleged communication have been made public.
The sources, however, declined to explain how the message was delivered or whether it followed U.S. President Donald Trump's warning on Tuesday that the United States could target Iran's power infrastructure.
The development comes amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington, with concerns mounting over the possibility of wider regional instability if military action is taken.
If the Red Sea shipping route were disrupted, it could have far-reaching implications for global oil markets, given the strategic importance of the waterway for international energy trade.
Iran's Foreign Ministry and a spokesperson for Yemen's Houthi movement were not immediately available to respond to Reuters' request for comment.
HOUTHIS DEPLOY DRONES NEAR BAB EL-MANDEB, RAISING FEARS
Fresh concerns have emerged over the security of one of the world's busiest maritime corridors after sources indicated that Yemen's Houthi movement has completed preparations to target commercial shipping in the Red Sea, a move that could further disrupt global oil supplies amid escalating tensions involving Iran and the United States.
According to a source familiar with the group's plans, the Houthis have positioned missiles and drones near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, strategically deploying the weapons in Yemen's highlands overlooking Hodeidah and the Gulf of Aden. The source said the group is now awaiting instructions before launching any attacks on vessels operating in the area.
The reported preparations come as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed following Iran's decision to halt maritime traffic through the vital waterway. Analysts warn that any disruption at Bab el-Mandeb would simultaneously affect the Middle East's two most important oil export routes, significantly worsening an already fragile global energy market and broadening the scope of the regional conflict.
The source also claimed that members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) currently in Yemen would determine the timing of any move to block or disrupt navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, highlighting what regional observers describe as growing operational coordination between Tehran and the Houthis.
Regional tensions intensified earlier this week after the Houthis launched missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, accusing the kingdom of bombing an airport under their control on Monday. The exchange effectively ended a four-year truce between Riyadh and the Yemeni armed group, raising fears of renewed hostilities across the region.
Commenting on the latest developments, Torbjorn Solvedt, principal Middle East analyst at risk intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft, warned that the timing of the renewed confrontation was particularly troubling.
"If fighting intensifies and spills over into Red Sea export infrastructure and shipping, it will threaten the only major alternative route for oil exports from the region," he said.
Meanwhile, two regional sources close to the Saudi government said Riyadh is treating the threats from Iran and the Houthis with utmost seriousness. The sources added that Saudi authorities believe the Yemeni group is now working in closer coordination with Tehran over developments affecting Red Sea shipping.
The current crisis traces back to February 28, when coordinated attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran triggered Tehran's decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, a route that previously handled roughly one-fifth of the world's energy supplies. Since then, fears of wider regional conflict have intensified.
Although Tehran and Washington briefly reached a ceasefire in June, the fragile truce has since collapsed, reviving concerns about a broader military confrontation. The renewed uncertainty has continued to disrupt energy flows through the Gulf, with the latest threats to the Red Sea adding another layer of risk to global oil markets.
Iran Weighs Red Sea Disruption to Raise Pressure on US
A large share of Gulf oil exports has already been redirected to the Red Sea through a Saudi pipeline, making the strategic waterway responsible for transporting about seven per cent of the world's energy supplies.
During the Gaza conflict, repeated Houthi attacks on commercial vessels forced major shipping companies to abandon the Red Sea route in favour of the far longer and more expensive journey around the southern tip of Africa, significantly increasing shipping costs and delivery times.
Saudi Arabia has also rerouted about 70 per cent of its oil exports through the Red Sea port of Yanbu, meaning any attacks targeting the area could have serious consequences for global oil markets and energy security.
One regional source said Iran's leadership is attempting to increase pressure on the United States by highlighting the economic risks of disrupting Red Sea shipping and Saudi oil exports through the corridor. According to the source, the move reflects part of "Iranian thinking".
The source argued that shutting down the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would not require advanced military capabilities, saying, "Anybody with a firing rifle can interrupt the shipping. You don't have to have sophisticated missiles to interrupt the shipping."
Iran considers Yemen's Houthi movement a key member of its regional "Axis of Resistance", an alliance that also includes Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iraqi Shi'ite armed groups, both of which have been drawn into the wider confrontation between Tehran and Washington. Despite growing tensions, the Houthis have not officially entered the conflict.
The United States has consistently accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with weapons, financial support and military training, including assistance allegedly channelled through Hezbollah. Tehran has repeatedly rejected those allegations.
