<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/israel-yemen-update-houthis-storm-un-building-in-yemeni-capital-sanaa-after-israel-killed-pm-and-other-ministers/f3328963-7f37-4522-b5c3-e1aba1a7d9e7" rel="" target="" title="A powerful militia"><span>A powerful militia</span></a><span> in the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/yemen" rel="" target="" title="Arabian country of Yemen"><span>Arabian country of Yemen</span></a><span> has threatened to cut off one of the world's most important shipping routes in solidarity with </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/iran" rel="" target="" title="Iran"><span>Iran</span></a><span>, a major Iranian news outlet claims.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tasnim News Agency, which is connected to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, reports </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/israel-yemen-update-houthis-storm-un-building-in-yemeni-capital-sanaa-after-israel-killed-pm-and-other-ministers/f3328963-7f37-4522-b5c3-e1aba1a7d9e7" rel="" target="" title="Yemeni Ansarullah, also known as the Houthis"><span>Yemeni Ansarullah, also known as the Houthis</span></a><span>, "is on full alert and ready to join the battlefield".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Houthis floated the possibility of cutting off the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/yemen-houthi-rebels-claim-attack-on-bulk-carrier-magic-seas-which-is-now-sinking-in-red-sea/fb803b15-d430-46e1-9057-7a86e9a9151e" rel="" target="" title="Bab al-Mandab Strait"><span>Bab al-Mandab Strait</span></a><span> which separates the Arabian Peninsula and Africa.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-26-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/b0bfd66d-90f4-4ec6-9124-cdab59a04c62"><strong><span>Trump's slapdown of Netanyahu hints at cracks appearing in alliance</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If there is a need to control the Bab al-Mandab Strait to further punish the enemy, the heroes of Yemeni Ansarullah are fully prepared to play a key role," Tasnim quoted a source as saying.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The strait is a major chokepoint in global trade, the narrowest point of the journey between Europe and Asia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If cut off, vessels would need to sail all the way around Africa's Cape of Good Hope rather than taking the Suez Canal, adding about two weeks to a journey.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/yemen-houthis-bab-almandab-strait-iran-middle-east-updates-blockade-usa-trade-news/4534861d-2848-4634-a48e-32fb147bfacc" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Going via the Suez through the Bab al-Mandab Strait takes about 8000 kilometres off a trip.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Houthis began to strike ships going through the strait in 2023, causing a major headache for global trade.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-preparing-for-ground-invasion-of-island-usa-middle-east-latest-updates/ecd1759a-4b09-4be6-a4d2-f1a23aca6275"><strong><span>'Iran's enemies' preparing ground invasion of island, says top politician</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"For the amount of missiles and drones they fired, their hit rate on ships was not particularly high, and they only sunk a few," Adjunct Professor at the University of Western Australia Jennifer Parker told </span><a href="http://nine.com.au"><span>nine.com.au</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Most companies made the decision that it was more appropriate to go around the Cape of Good Hope."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On one side of the strait is a large swathe of territory in Yemen controlled by the Houthis.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>During Yemen's long civil war, Iran's government has supplied the Houthis with missiles and drones.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Houthis have learned from Iran's example and begun to keep their weapons underground to avoid missile and air strikes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-strait-of-hormuz-toll-tankers-charge-tax-middle-east-latest-updates/274c41fa-6a57-45f7-8663-bbbaeb2150bc"><strong><span>Iran looking to turn Strait of Hormuz into massive toll booth</span></strong></a><span></span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's harder to have a material impact on air campaigns against them," Parker said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You'll never disable them unless you send in ground forces, which nobody's about to do."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Parker suspected Iran was seeking to draw the Houthis into the war to expand the battlefield.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The fact that Iran has said this doesn't mean the Houthis will actually do it," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What (the Houthis are) actually trying to achieve is to take over Yemen versus supporting Iran."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Parker said the Houthis relied less on Iran than Hezbollah or Hamas, both of which receive much of their support from the regime.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The Houthis will weigh that up based on how influential they think the Iranian regime are going to be moving forward," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Even though you're not going to have regime change, there's a lot of evidence to say that the Iranian regime is significantly weakened."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Parker served as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy for 20 years and was deployed to the Middle East three times.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>At its narrowest point, the strait is 26 kilometres wide.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-florida-election-results-mar-a-lago-emily-gregory-us-politics-news/70f84489-55ba-4d49-a33f-0c8937c953b9"><strong><span>Trump on shaky ground after Democrats win Mar-a-Lago seat</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><strong><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> 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