Iran Asks Houthis to Prepare to Close Red Sea Oil Route if US Strikes Power Infrastructure, Sources Say
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DUBAI, July 16, Saudi Arabia Breaking News — Iran has asked Yemen’s Houthi movement to prepare to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States attacks Iranian power infrastructure, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
The proposal has been discussed within Iran’s leadership, according to two senior Iranian sources and a regional source, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity.
The sources said Tehran recently communicated the request to its Houthi allies but did not explain how the message was delivered.
They also did not confirm whether the request followed US President Donald Trump’s threat on Tuesday to attack Iranian power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
A source close to the Houthis said the group had completed preparations for renewed attacks against commercial shipping and was awaiting an order to begin.
Missiles and drones have been deployed near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and in Yemen’s highlands overlooking Hodeidah and the Gulf of Aden, according to the source.
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and forms a critical corridor for global energy supplies and commercial shipping.