Yemen warns Bab Al Mandeb is at risk of becoming a ‘blackmail card’

Yemen's UN envoy has cautioned that the Bab Al Mandeb strait could become a "blackmail card" for a "transnational terrorist" group, urging nations to shoulder responsibility for its security. Speaking at an emergency UN Security Council meeting, Abdullah Al Saadi highlighted the Houthis' control over the strategic waterway, stating that the international community should prevent the strait from being used as a bargaining tool.

He emphasized that Yemen is already safeguarding the interests of the global community, and the strait's security impacts shipping, energy supplies, and supply chains worldwide. The Houthis' ongoing conflict with Saudi-backed forces and their declaration of a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia have led to rapid territorial gains, including control of the Red Sea coastline and the Bab Al Mandeb strait.

Britain's deputy UN ambassador, Kate Foster, stressed that Iran's support of the Houthis enables attacks that threaten civilians, regional stability, and peace. She urged all member states to fulfill their obligations, including measures to prevent arms transfers to the Houthis. Pakistan's UN ambassador, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, backed Saudi Arabia's right to self-defense and warned that the Houthi attacks are spreading beyond national borders, posing a growing threat to international shipping in the Red Sea and Bab Al Mandeb strait.