Trump clarifies US oil demand amid Iran tensions
Rep. John James, R-Mich., discusses the failed US-Iran talks, President Trump’s energy dominance strategy, and the Strait of Hormuz naval blockade. James highlights how US oil affects global energy prices and the Iranian economy.
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Iran may retaliate against the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by directing its Houthi allies to disrupt another key global shipping lane, a senior Middle East analyst warned on Sunday.
Bab al-Mandeb – a small chokepoint connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden – carries about 12% of the world’s oil exports and serves as an important trade point between Asia and Europe, making it a strategic target for escalation that could disrupt global energy markets.
“If the US continues its plan to block this road, Iran’s escalation strategy could mean that it ensures that the Gulf countries cannot export,” said Mona Yacoubian, director and senior adviser at the Middle East Program, told Fox News Digital.
TRUMP VOWS TO SHUT OFF IRAN’S POWER PLANTS, BRIDGES IF STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS NOT REOPENED
Aerial view of Bab al-Mandeb Strait showing the waterway and surrounding land. (Orbital Horizon Images/Gallo)
“This could translate into more attacks on energy infrastructure in the Gulf or sent by the Houthis to block Bab al-Mandeb,” Yacoubian added.
Yacoubian’s comments come after Ali Akbar Velayati, senior adviser on international affairs to Iran’s Supreme Leader, expressed Tehran’s view on Bab al-Mandeb due to a possible US move to block the Strait of Hormuz.
“Today, the united command of the Resistance front looks at Bab al-Mandeb as it does Hormuz,” he said on the X website.
WHY THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS IMPORTANT AS TRUMP ISSUES NEW ULTIMATE ON IRAN
Yemeni forces guard the strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait (Abdulnasser Alseddik/AP)
“If the White House tries to repeat its foolish mistakes, it will quickly realize that the flow of global energy and trade can be disrupted with a single move.”
The US Central Command issued a statement on Sunday saying that the embargo will begin on Monday and “will be enforced on the ships of all nations entering or leaving Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.”
President Donald Trump also said that the US Navy will block “any and all ships attempting to enter or exit the Strait of Hormuz” in a Truth Social post.
In March, the US warned ships in the Red Sea chokepoint of Houthi attacks
“The Houthis continue to pose a threat to US assets, including commercial shipping, in the region,” a naval adviser said of the Iran-backed armed group that controls much of northern Yemen.
TRUMP GIVES IRAN A 48-HOUR ULTIMATE TO REOPEN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ OR SNAP IN THE FACE OF POWER
In this photo provided by the US Navy, the amphibious assault ship USS Carter Hall and the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan pass through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait on August 9, 2023. (Communications Officer 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/US Navy)
“Potential hostile actions include one-way unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks; unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) attacks; ballistic and cruise missile attacks; small arms fire at small boats; boat attacks with explosives; and illegal boarding, detention, and/or seizure,” it said.
“U.S.-flagged commercial vessels operating in these areas are strongly advised to turn off their AIS transponders,” the advisory said.
Yacoubian also decided in a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) that Iran was threatening to extend the conflict to the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb which included the disruption of world markets.
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“It may help the Houthis, their proxy in Yemen, to attack the waterway again, depriving Saudi Arabia of its important oil export activity given the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.
The Houthis joined Iran’s war against the US and Israel on March 28 when the organization launched two ballistic missiles in southern Israel. Both were caught.
