Escalating Houthi actions in Bab el-Mandeb threaten global energy security

International relations expert Dimosthenis Dimopoulos warned on September 12, 2026, that Iran and its allies are exerting increased economic pressure on the United States by targeting shipping routes in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The escalation in Houthi militant activity in this region creates a significant risk for global navigation, specifically threatening critical alternative pathways used by Saudi Arabia and Gulf nations for the export of oil and gas.

According to Dimopoulos, this development is highly dangerous for the Middle East, as it risks disrupting the steady flow of energy products to global markets. The analyst predicts that the sustained instability in these maritime corridors will likely lead to further increases in the global prices of oil and natural gas in the coming days. By challenging the safety of these maritime passages, the militant actions serve as a strategic effort to destabilize the regional economy and increase pressure on Western powers.