Yemen, Bab al-Mandab and Saudi Arabia: Tehran’s strategic calculus in the balance

Yemen, Bab al-Mandab and Saudi Arabia: Tehran’s strategic calculus in the balance Submitted by MEE correspondent on Tue, 10/20/2026 - 10:40 The Houthi blockade of the Red Sea benefits Iran but also risks the conflict spiralling beyond its control Commercial vessels are anchored off Yemen's coast at Bab al-Mandab, in the straits connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean on 12 September 2026 (AFP) Off Recent Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure and the Yemeni group’s growing leverage over Red Sea shipping have played to Iran 's strategic advantage, increasing…