The Other Strait That’s Growing Worrisome

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by MARK POWELL

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The eyes of the world are focused on the Strait of Hormuz right now. And with good reason.

That 104-mile-long waterway is the jugular vein through which nearly one-fifth of the world’s entire petroleum supply passes. Pause and let that sink in for a minute. We’re talking about more than 21 million barrels of oil — every single day.

At least in regular times. More than one month after the U.S. and Israel launched a blitz on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s top leaders and its military establishment, times are far from normal right now.

Instead of the 120 to 130 oil tankers passing the Strait daily, the vital waterway is now largely deserted. Iran has closed it to commercial traffic as Washington ponders its next move in the increasingly intensifying conflict.

If the U.S seizes critically important Kharg Island in the Strait, the spigot through which flows Iran’s vast oil exports that keep the Islamist regime propped up, that nation is vowing to – in the words of the speaker of Iran’s parliament – “rain down fire” on American troops deployed in the region. He calls the island “the graveyard of the aggressors.”

For his part, President Donald Trump is threatening to “unleash hell” with the “complete obliteration” of Iran’s infrastructure if the Strait isn’t opened by next Monday (April 6, 2026).

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Given the nations involved on both sides, their powerful allies, and the 50-megaton arsenals at their command, nightmare scenarios make words like World War III and even Armageddon seem within the realm of possibility.

Needless to say, the Strait of Hormuz is drawing more attention now than ever before, and it will only increase in the coming week.

Yet at the same time, a different strait, some 1,200 miles away, is becoming more concerning with each passing day.

Unless you’re brushing up your geography skills for an upcoming appearance as a contestant on “Jeopardy!”, you’ve probably never heard of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.      

Its name translates to “Gate of Tears,” and there could be tears aplenty if trouble comes its way. Because closing the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait would pose yet another serious threat to the global economy.

And some very bad actors are poised to do just that…

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But first, it’s important to understand why this waterway is so crucial. The Strait is the Red Sea’s southern gateway to the Suez Canal, providing a direct route for shipping between Europe and Asia. A big portion of the world’s oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) exports from Persian Gulf exporters passes through it.

The nearby region produces much of the urea and other materials used in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers for agriculture production. And roughly one-third of the world’s supply of fertilizers passes through the Strait, with much of it ultimately bound for American and Canadian farms.

That would be a tremendous blow to the bottom line of states like South Carolina, where agriculture is a cornerstone of the economy.  

Any interruption of that critical supply element – even briefly – could also give a severe jolt to world agricultural commodities markets, which in turn could swiftly lead to sticker shock on food and menu prices at your favorite grocery stores and restaurants (at a time when affordability is already a major problem).

Worst of all, analysts say shutting down the Strait would be even easier to accomplish than closing Hormuz because it’s much narrower (barely 18 miles at its narrowest point). A group that’s been making trouble there in recent years is licking its chops to close it, too.

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The Houthis are a radical Muslim Shia militant and political group in Yemen. Officially called Ansar Allah (the “Partisans of God”), they’re one of the proxy groups Iran uses in the region to do its bidding. They’re considered a key player in Iran’s international “Axis of Resistance” to U.S. and Jewish interests and have long targeted international shipping in the Strait, though on a small scale.

Iran is already making its intentions clear. Its military released a statement a few days ago saying it fully intends to wreak “insecurity in other straits, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea,” if the U.S. and Israel keep attacking Tehran’s energy infrastructure.

And just in case anyone missed the point, a military source told an Iranian news outlet, “if the enemy wants to take action on land in the Iranian islands or anywhere else in our lands or to inflict costs on Iran with naval movements in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman [sic], we will open other fronts for them as a surprise so that their action will not only be of no benefit to them but will also double their costs.”

Translation: “Come and get us. We double dog dare you.”

From bases where American military families are nervously waiting, to Wall Street, where 401k and other investment portfolios are hanging in the balance, to supermarket checkout lanes and gas pumps at convenience stores, where prices could skyrocket in the blink of an eye, a quiet anxiety prevails as the world begins counting down the days to April 6.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

J. Mark Powell is an award-winning former TV journalist, government communications veteran, and a political consultant. He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Email him at mark@fitsnews.com.

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