Houthis say they plan to blockade Bab Al-Mandeb Strait

U.S. and Iran fire exchange over closed Hormuz

The Houthi blockade announcement comes as the United States and Iran have exchanged fire for 10 days over the effectively closed Strait of Hormuz as they try to assert control, NPR reported. The Iran-backed Houthis say they will blockade the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, a Red Sea waterway that serves as the primary route for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports, allowing the kingdom to ship millions of barrels per day, NPR reported. The waterway sits between Yemen and Djibouti.

A blockade of the strait could disrupt energy markets and drive up prices, NPR reported. The situation adds a new dimension to an ongoing conflict in which the U.S. and Iran have been exchanging fire over the closed Strait of Hormuz.