By Moammar Al-Eryani, Minister of Information of the Republic of Yemen

Iran Uses Maritime Chokepoints as Tools of Extortion: The recent war showed that Iran treats the Strait of Hormuz not as a global economic artery but as a strategic weapon, moving from threats to actual disruption of navigation and energy flows after years of preparation involving mines, drones, missiles, and other capabilities.

Risk of Replication in Bab el-Mandeb via Houthis: Iran and the Houthis have threatened to extend similar pressure to the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb; control of most of these coasts by the legitimate Yemeni government currently prevents a dual-strait crisis that would severely impact global trade, energy, and the Suez Canal.

Lasting Security Requires Restoring Yemeni Sovereignty: Temporary naval coalitions are insufficient; the root solution is supporting the Yemeni government to extend full control, disarm the Houthis as an Iranian proxy, and cut off their funding and weapons to prevent Bab el-Mandeb from becoming a new Hormuz-style leverage point.

The recent war in the Middle East was not merely a passing military confrontation; it was a strategic test that revealed the nature of Iranian behavior and the mindset of the regime in Tehran when facing military, political or economic pressure.

Events have proven that Iran does not view international maritime corridors as arteries serving the global economy, but as tools of extortion and bargaining to be used against the international community whenever needed.

For many years, the Strait of Hormuz was the most important card in the hands of the Iranian regime. However, what happened during the recent war elevated this card from the level of political threat to the level of practical action. Iran did not merely threaten to close the strait; it turned the threat into reality, disrupted navigation and energy flows, and forced the world to confront the cost of leaving international waterways at the mercy........

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