Middle Eastern countries fight for control of vital Hormuz and Red Sea chokepoints

July 29 ------ Regional powers are seeking greater control over two of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints as tensions linked to the Iran conflict threaten shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Oman has proposed a regional mechanism to jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz, with voluntary fees from users helping fund navigation, environmental protection and search-and-rescue operations, a Gulf source told Reuters on July 28. The proposal, which has regional backing, would prevent Iran from exercising sole control over the waterway and is modelled on arrangements used in the Strait of Malacca.

The initiative comes after the U.S. suspended a campaign of air strikes against Iran, raising hopes that diplomatic efforts could allow shipping to resume through Hormuz, a route that handled around one-fifth of global energy supplies before the conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump said talks with Iran were progressing but warned strikes could resume if negotiations failed. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi also discussed the strait’s security with Omani and Saudi counterparts, calling for regional cooperation to restore stability, Reuters reports.

Meanwhile, tensions are also rising in the Red Sea, where Yemen’s Houthi movement has sought to apply a similar pressure strategy in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Yemen’s Foreign Minister-designate Afrah Al-Zouba told Reuters that the Houthis wanted to “copy the Iranian model” by disrupting shipping through two strategic gateways linking the Gulf and Red Sea.

The Houthis have intensified attacks on Saudi Arabia with missiles and drones while declaring a blockade on Saudi shipping, prompting Saudi airstrikes on what Riyadh described as Houthi military targets. The escalation has raised concerns of a renewed Yemen conflict.

Control over Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb has become a central geopolitical issue, as disruptions in either waterway could have major consequences for global energy flows and international trade.

Source: safety4sea.com