Italy will deploy warships to ensure safe passage for its commercial vessels through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said. Rome will act without waiting for a joint European Union decision, he added.
Crosetto warned that the economic consequences would be severe if the waterway became impassable, arguing that bureaucratic delays must not worsen an already complex situation.
Why the route matters to shipping
Bab al-Mandeb separates Yemen from Djibouti and Eritrea and forms a key maritime link between Europe and Asia. Its role has become more significant as Gulf oil exporters seek alternatives after disruption at the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia has increasingly relied on pipelines and Red Sea shipping to bypass Hormuz, making Bab al-Mandeb one of the remaining major routes for Gulf oil reaching global markets. Read the context: Why the Strait of Hormuz crisis is reshaping global shipping.
Key points
- Bab al-Mandeb links the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden.
- The strait is about 30km (19 miles) wide at its narrowest point.
- Roughly 12 to 15 percent of global trade has historically passed through the waterway.
- The route carries oil, gas and container traffic moving between Europe, Asia and the Suez Canal.
Houthi control raises security concerns
The Iran-backed Houthi movement has recently taken control of Yemen’s western Red Sea coast, including strategically located islands, according to the supplied account. That advance gives the group effectively unrestricted access to the waterway.
The Houthis have previously attacked vessels they associate with the United States or its regional allies. The United States and the European Union have conducted military operations to protect merchant ships, but those efforts have not fully secured the route as fighting in Yemen has intensified.
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