Analysts have warned that the Suez Canal and other key global trade routes could face serious threats if Yemen’s Houthi rebels become directly involved in the ongoing war involving Iran. Mohammad Elmasry, a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that the Houthis possess significant capabilities demonstrated over the past two and a half years. He noted that they could potentially close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, effectively blocking access from the Red Sea to the Suez Canal.

Elmasry explained that such a move would create two major chokepoints— the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal— both vital for international trade. He added that continued Houthi attacks could increase pressure on Israel’s air defense systems, which are already strained by missile strikes from Hezbollah and Iran. If attacks were to originate from Yemen as well, the situation could become even more complex.

According to Elmasry, Israel might politically welcome this escalation, as it could expand the scope of the conflict and discourage the United States from withdrawing too soon.