Two Chokepoints, One War: Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb
How the 2026 Iran war weaponized the world's two most critical maritime chokepoints, Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, drawing Yemen's Houthis into a Gulf-centered confrontation.
How the 2026 Iran war weaponized the world's two most critical maritime chokepoints, Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, drawing Yemen's Houthis into a Gulf-centered confrontation.
The IRGC operates over 1,500 fast attack boats from hidden coastal bases, forming a guerrilla navy that US warships struggle to counter in the narrow Strait of Hormuz. Half the fleet has been destroyed but the remainder continues attacking commercial shipping.
Iran reversed its decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours, reimposing controls after the US refused to lift its port blockade. Two Indian tankers were attacked and Trump held an emergency meeting with advisors.
Analysis of the Houthi movement's calculated entry into the US-Iran conflict, their complex relationship with Tehran, and the strategic calculus behind their restraint on Red Sea shipping — so far.
Britain gathers foreign ministers from 40 countries for a virtual summit on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian attacks have halted commercial shipping since the war began. The United States declined to attend.