Which strait is a chokepoint affected by Houthi attacks?

• A. Strait of Malacca
• B. Bab el-Mandeb Strait
• C. Bab al-Aqaba
• D. Suez Canal

Answer: (B)

Disruptions in narrow maritime passages can have outsized effects on global trade. Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the narrow waterway between Yemen and Djibouti that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, is one of those critical chokepoints. Because so much shipping must pass through this single channel to reach the Indian Ocean, attacks or threats in this area can halt or slow a large portion of oil and container traffic. In recent years, Houthi activity in the Red Sea has targeted vessels and infrastructure near this region, making Bab el-Mandeb the strait affected by those actions. The other options sit in different regions and aren’t the chokepoint most directly tied to Houthi operations.