Houthi join the fight, threaten to close Red Sea straits
In a statement released by a representative of the group, the Iran-aligned movement said: “We will strike American ships in the Red Sea. This war is a fight for the entire Ummah.”
The declaration marks a further widening of tensions across the Middle East, as Iran’s network of regional allies signals a greater willingness to engage directly amid ongoing hostilities involving Israel, the US and Gulf states.
Tehran is keeping the threat of ordering Houthis to take up arms in reserve, say analysts, as they could close the access to the Red Sea and cut off all oil and gas produced in the Gulf from reaching international markets. Iranian officials told Tasnim News: if the US launches a military attack on Iran’s main export terminal on Kharg island, Iran will activate the Houthis to shut down the Bab al-Mandab Strait and block access to the Red Sea. Bab al-Mandab Strait — handles 10% of all global trade.
The US spent $1bn trying to stop Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping in 2024. and failed. Ships were forced to reroute around Africa and shippign costs went up 400% at that time.
As bne IntelliNews reported, the Strait of Hormuz is partially open again under an informal permits-for-passage that is allowing Iranian tankers and some from “friendly countries” through. In addition the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)’s westward pipelines that terminate at the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea is exporting to tankers waiting in the Red Sea. Taken together, the Gulf is still exporting somewhere between 8-10mn b/d, down from 20mn b/d pre-war. Thirty tankers are currently staged near Yanbu within Houthi strike range.
The Houthis, formally known as Ansar Allah, have previously targeted commercial shipping and military vessels in the Red Sea, citing solidarity with Palestinian groups and opposition to US and Israeli policies. Since late 2023, the group has launched drones and missiles at maritime targets, disrupting one of the world’s most important trade routes and prompting retaliatory strikes by US and allied forces.
In their latest statement, the Houthis also claimed to possess a hypersonic ballistic missile known as “Palestine-2”. According to the group, the missile has a range of up to 2,150km and can reach speeds of Mach 16. Such claims have not been independently verified, and defence analysts have previously cautioned that the group’s capabilities are often overstated, though it has demonstrated an ability to deploy increasingly sophisticated missile and drone systems.
The Red Sea, which handles roughly 12% of global trade flows via the Suez Canal, has become a focal point of the conflict, raising concerns among shipping companies and insurers over the security of transit routes. Several major shipping lines have already diverted vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing costs and transit times.
US officials have repeatedly warned that attacks on naval or commercial vessels would prompt a military response, as Washington seeks to safeguard freedom of navigation in the region. The Houthis’ latest threat increases the risk of direct confrontation between US forces and Iran-aligned groups beyond the Gulf theatre.
The group said its actions were part of a broader regional struggle, stating: “This war is a fight for the entire Ummah.”
Houthi military official Abed al-Thawr told Press TV that once the decision to intervene is made, the first step could be the official declaration of a naval blockade against the United States and Israel.
Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said his forces have their fingers on the trigger. Iran has supplied the Houthis with anti-ship ballistic missiles including the Asef with a 400-kilometre range, land-attack ballistic missiles including the Toufan capable of reaching 1,800 kilometres, cruise missiles from the Quds family reaching beyond 1,300 kilometres, and Samad-series attack drones with ranges up to 2,500 kilometres.
Houthis operate unmanned surface vessels, naval mines, and small-boat swarms designed for exactly this kind of chokepoint denial. Between 2023 and 2025, they attacked 178 vessels, sank four ships, and caused a 90 percent decrease in Red Sea container shipping.
Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM have reportedly already paused all trans-Suez sailings through the Bab el-Mandeb. Other companies are rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 12 to 15 days and a million dollars in fuel costs to every voyage.
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