<p>Amid its ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has hinted at widening its maritime pressure by potentially targeting another critical global chokepoint—the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.</p> <p>The signal came from Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who suggested that Tehran is evaluating further strategic moves to increase pressure on its adversaries.</p> <h3>Global Trade Routes Under Spotlight After Hormuz Blockade</h3> <p>In a series of posts on X, Ghalibaf raised questions about the world’s dependence on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a key maritime corridor linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.</p> <p>“What share of global oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertiliser shipments transits the Bab el-Mandeb Strait?” he asked, pointing to the vulnerability of global supply chains. </p> <p>He further questioned which countries and companies rely most heavily on the route, indicating that Iran may be assessing where it can exert maximum economic leverage.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">What share of global oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertilizer shipments transits the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait?<br /><br />Which countries and companies account for the highest transit volumes through the strait? 🤔</p> — محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) <a href="https://twitter.com/mb_ghalibaf/status/2040186566195208307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <p> <script src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" async="" charset="utf-8"></script> </p> <h3>Hormuz Blockade's Big Impact On Shipping</h3> <p>The remarks come as disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz continue to strain global shipping and energy markets. Any move to target the Bab el-Mandeb Strait would significantly escalate the situation, potentially affecting trade flows between Asia, Europe, and Africa.</p> <p>Together, the two waterways handle a substantial portion of global energy and commodity shipments, making them critical to international trade stability.</p> <h3>Military Escalation: ‘Wave 93’ Strikes</h3> <p>The maritime posturing coincides with a fresh military escalation. Iranian and allied forces have launched “Wave 93” under Operation True Promise 4, targeting Israeli-linked military sites, according to state media reports.</p> <p>The offensive, carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reportedly struck locations across Western Galilee, Haifa, Kafr Kanna and Krayot.</p> <h3>Iran Says Missiles And Drones Deployed</h3> <p>According to Iranian sources, the operation involved a mix of long-range and guided missiles, including both solid and liquid fuel systems, along with suicide drones.</p> <p>The IRGC described the strikes as “precise” and said the campaign would continue “uninterruptedly,” signalling sustained military pressure.</p> <p>Iran has framed the escalation as a response to earlier attacks, which it claims targeted its energy infrastructure and civilian areas. Tehran also alleges heavy civilian casualties in prior strikes, including children.</p> <p>State media reports claim the latest operations have inflicted “heavy losses” on US and Israeli forces, though these assertions remain independently unverified.</p>
source https://news.abplive.com/news/world/bab-el-mandeb-strait-to-close-next-iran-parliament-speaker-signals-blockade-expansion-beyond-hormuz-1834501
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