Iran tells Houthis to close Red Sea gateway if US hits power network, sources say

Iran has reportedly instructed Yemen's Houthi organization to prepare to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States targets Iranian power infrastructure, according to three anonymous sources. This directive, conveyed recently to Houthi allies, poses a significant threat to global energy supplies, especially with the Strait of Hormuz already closed. The Houthis have reportedly deployed missiles and drones near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, awaiting orders from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to initiate attacks on shipping. Torbjorn Solvedt, a Middle East analyst, noted that intensified fighting spilling into Red Sea infrastructure "will threaten the only major alternative route for oil exports from the region." Saudi Arabia is reportedly taking these threats seriously, recognizing the Houthis' close coordination with Iran regarding the Red Sea.