Expert to "Al-Arabiya.net": The Yemeni government's control over Bab al-Mandab enhances navigation security

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Simultaneously with the announcement by the President of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad Al-Alimi, of the launch of the military operation "Fajr Yemen" aimed at restoring state institutions and ending the "Houthi militia coup" supported by Iran. Al-Alimi also directed the armed forces, security, and military formations to carry out their tasks according to the approved plans, within what the Yemeni forces described as a "strategic offensive" to liberate the capital, Sana'a.

Mohammed Bahybah, director of the Red Sea Studies Center, confirmed that the Yemeni government's control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait represents a strategic shift whose repercussions extend beyond Yemen's borders, likely to have a direct impact on the security of navigation in the Red Sea, the movement of ships through the Suez Canal, shipping and insurance costs, as well as energy and trade flows between Asia and Europe.

For his part, Bahybah told "Al Arabiya.net" that the importance of Bab al-Mandab is linked to its strategic location as one of the most prominent international maritime passages and arteries of global trade and energy supplies, noting that the security of maritime passages is receiving increasing attention in light of regional tensions, especially with the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and the Iranian-American war.

In the context of neutralizing the Iranian pressure card, Bahybah clarified that the Yemeni government's restoration of control over Bab al-Mandab would enhance the security of navigation in the Red Sea and limit Iran and the Houthis' ability to use maritime passages as a pressure tool in regional and international conflicts.

He also pointed out that Tehran and the Houthis have sought in recent years to exploit Bab al-Mandab and the Red Sea as part of their confrontation with the United States, making the security of the strait an important factor in reducing the threats facing shipping movements.

In terms of strategic locations, Baheeb confirmed that enhancing the presence of government forces on the island of Mayyun and the islands of Zuqar and Hanish could support the security of Bab al-Mandab, given the strategic location of these islands and their role in monitoring maritime corridors and securing shipping movements.

Additionally, he added that tightening control over these locations could provide a safer environment for trade and energy supplies crossing the Red Sea, and reduce the risks that have led shipping companies to change their routes.

Economically, Baheeb expected that the improvement of the security situation in Bab al-Mandab would create conditions for the return of ships to the route of the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, instead of detouring around the Cape of Good Hope, which imposes longer distances and higher operating, shipping, and insurance costs.

Conversely, he noted that the disruption of navigation in the past period has led to a decline in transit traffic in the Suez Canal and an increase in transportation and insurance costs, pointing out that the stability of Bab al-Mandab could positively reflect on trade movements between Asia and Europe and energy flows.

On the regional level, Baheeb believed that the effects of stabilizing Bab al-Mandab would not be limited to Yemen, but would extend to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Gulf countries, Jordan, and the Horn of Africa, by enhancing maritime security and reducing the risks surrounding one of the most important global trade routes.

He also considered that securing the strait enhances the position of the Red Sea as a major route for international navigation and supports the stability of supply chains, which may alleviate the economic and security repercussions resulting from disruptions in shipping movements.