Qatar warned Tuesday that any closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait could have catastrophic consequences for the global economy, as the Iran-backed Houthis make new gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.

The warning comes as the world is already grappling with a months-long blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears that disruptions at a second critical maritime chokepoint could further cripple international shipping and energy markets.

“The world is suffering enough with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, so we cannot also afford to add the Bab el-Mandeb into that equation,” Qatar Foreign Ministry official Ibrahim Al Hashmi told reporters.

He warned that closing the southern entrance to the Red Sea would be “catastrophic for the entire world. And we are already seeing the consequences… so Qatar is pushing for diplomacy, dialogue.”

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean and serves as a critical route for international commercial and energy shipping.

Concerns over the waterway have intensified following recent territorial gains by the Iran-backed Houthis along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, potentially giving the terrorist group an even greater ability to threaten vessels traveling through the region.

A closure or major disruption of Bab el-Mandeb would force many ships traveling between Europe and Asia to avoid the Red Sea entirely and instead sail around Africa, significantly increasing travel times, fuel costs and shipping expenses.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)