Qatar Warns Bab el-Mandeb Closure Would Be Global Catastrophe
· World · Euronews, NDTV
Qatar has called for international efforts to keep the Bab el-Mandeb strait open, warning that losing access to the Red Sea gateway would be catastrophic for global trade. Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashmi, director of media and communication at Qatar's foreign ministry, stated in Doha that the world cannot afford another major shipping route closure while the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked. The warning follows the seizure of the Greater and Lesser Hanish islands by Iran-backed Houthi forces following the withdrawal of government-allied troops. The Houthis have also captured the coastal port of Mokha and Perim Island at the entrance to the strategic strait, further threatening energy supplies and international shipping. The Bab el-Mandeb strait links the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea, serving as a vital passage for vessels traveling between Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal.
Why it matters
The closure of the Bab el-Mandeb strait threatens to severely disrupt global energy supplies and maritime trade between Asia and Europe, driving up shipping costs and oil prices during an ongoing conflict.
Read the original report — Euronews
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