Phoenix 24
Bab el-Mandeb becomes the next strategic pressure point.
Djibouti | July 2026
The European Union has strengthened its naval presence in the Red Sea as Iran reportedly urges Yemen’s Houthi movement to prepare for a possible closure of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas signed a new security agreement with Djibouti to support the European missions Aspides and Atalanta.
Bab el-Mandeb separates Yemen from Djibouti and Eritrea and measures roughly 30 kilometers at its narrowest point. Between 10% and 15% of global maritime trade passes through the corridor, including a significant share of Europe’s oil and gas imports.
A closure would force commercial vessels to sail around the Cape of Good Hope, adding between two and three weeks to journeys between Asia and Europe. Shipping costs, insurance premiums, energy prices and supply-chain pressures could rise significantly if the route becomes unsafe.
Operation Aspides is a defensive mission created to protect commercial vessels and preserve freedom of navigation without conducting strikes against targets on land. European forces have protected more than 670 merchant ships and rescued 128 sailors since the operation began.
Cuando una ruta marítima se cierra, sus consecuencias atraviesan todos los continentes. / When a maritime route closes, its consequences cross every continent.