Iran Threatens to Block Bab al-Mandab Strait Amid Escalating Conflict

• Iran warns it will block the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait if war escalates, following threats to the Strait of Hormuz.
• The Ansarullah (Houthis) in Yemen are ready to control Bab al-Mandab if land attacks occur on Iran's southern islands.
• Warning comes after White House threatened intensified military action against Iran if ceasefire conditions are rejected.
• Bab al-Mandab, located between the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, is a major commercial sea route.
• Ansarullah has previously imposed a naval blockade targeting Israeli-linked shipping, rerouting vessels around Africa.