Iran threatens Bab al‑Mandab if Israel acts in Lebanon

A senior Iranian military official has threatened to disrupt shipping through the Bab al-Mandab Strait if Israel continues its military operations in Lebanon and Gaza, raising the prospect of a second major maritime chokepoint being targeted. The warning from Esmail Qaani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, stated that continued Israeli actions would prompt Iranian-aligned forces to make conditions in the Bab al-Mandab similar to those in the already contested Strait of Hormuz. The Bab al-Mandab is a critical waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, through which an estimated 10 to 15 percent of global maritime trade passes.

The threat comes amid heightened regional hostilities and a strained diplomatic environment. Tensions escalated over recent days with cross-border strikes between Israel and Hezbollah, including Israeli ground forces pushing deeper into southern Lebanon and airstrikes hitting targets near Beirut. In response to these developments, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a contentious phone call on Monday. According to U.S. officials familiar with the conversation, Trump urged...