How is this strait strategic?
Bab Al-Mandab is one of the most strategic straits in the world. It is on the sea route most quickly connecting Europe to the Middle East and Asia. This axis passes through the Indian Ocean, the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean. A significant portion of global maritime trade passes through it, including oil, refined products and liquefied natural gas. However, these volumes are smaller than those passing through the Strait of Hormuz, currently blocked by Iran. If the latter constitutes the only gateway to the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, on the other hand, is open to two passages: Bab Al-Mandab to the south, which the Houthis are now seeking to close, and the Suez Canal to the north, which Egypt has kept open for decades.
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