The UN Security Council is set to hold a meeting Tuesday on the situation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, diplomats said, as concern grows over escalating Houthi activity around the strategic Red Sea shipping route.
The meeting comes amid renewed instability in Yemen and growing fears over the security of commercial shipping through Bab el-Mandeb, the narrow waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The Iran-backed Houthis have recently expanded their territorial control in western Yemen and have repeatedly threatened shipping in the area.
Houthi rebels in Sanaa, Yemen, Sept. 10, 2026
(Photo: AP)
The strait is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, and any disruption there could have significant consequences for global trade and energy markets. UN officials and Security Council members have repeatedly stressed that freedom of navigation through Bab el-Mandeb must be protected under international law.
The Houthis’ recent advances have added to concerns that Yemen could slide back toward a broader conflict. The group has seized strategic territory near the Red Sea, while international officials have warned that further escalation could threaten both regional stability and shipping lanes.
The Security Council meeting is expected to focus on the latest developments around the strait and the potential threat to international maritime traffic.