Concerns are growing that a second major global shipping chokepoint could be affected by the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
While attention has focused on the Strait of Hormuz, analysts are also warning about risks to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a narrow waterway between Yemen and the Horn of Africa that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The passage is a critical route for global trade, including oil shipments traveling between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Security experts say that if tensions expand in the region, shipping through Bab el-Mandeb could face disruption, particularly because armed groups in Yemen have previously targeted vessels in the area. The warning comes as fears grow that multiple maritime chokepoints could be affected by the conflict at the same time.
Globally, only a handful of strategic waterways handle a large share of international trade, and disruptions in even one of them can send shockwaves through global supply chains and energy markets. Analysts say protecting these routes will be critical to maintaining stability in global trade.
