According to Arab officials cited by the Wall Street Journal, Riyadh fears Iran could retaliate by closing the Bab al-Mandeb strait—a key Red Sea passage now used for most of Saudi oil exports.
Saudi Arabia is pressing the U.S. to drop its blockade of Hormuz, fearing President Trump’s move to close it off could lead Iran to escalate and disrupt other important shipping routes https://t.co/sBFyccQUbQ
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) April 14, 2026
Saudi officials said they have obtained assurances from Yemen’s Houthi group that it will not target the kingdom or vessels passing through the strait. However, they cautioned Washington that the situation remains unpredictable and could shift quickly.
Riyadh warned that the Houthis might become more directly involved in the conflict if Iran increases pressure, and could even start charging transit fees on ships using the waterway.
Erik Meyersson, chief emerging markets strategist at Sweden’s SEB bank, told the WSJ that such steps would allow Iran to escalate indirectly. “If you restrict our oil exports, we can disrupt yours,” he said, referring to Saudi shipments from the Yanbu terminal.
Tasnim News Agency reported that any threat towards the Strait of Hormuz could significantly affect global trade. IRGC Spokesperson General Hossein Mohebbi said on Monday, “We have not yet revealed many of our capabilities. If the war continues, we will unveil capabilities that the enemy has no conception of.”
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Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser on foreign policy to Iran’s supreme leader, said earlier this month that Iran views the strait in the same way it does the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that any repeat of past US actions could quickly disrupt global energy flows and trade.
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that a US blockade of Iranian ports is “dangerous and irresponsible”, warning it would only aggravate tensions. It did not mention whether Chinese ships were passing the strait.
A third Iran-linked tanker was entering the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, on the first full day of the US blockade on vessels calling at Iranian ports, shipping data showed. Prior to this, two US-sanctioned tankers passed through the narrow waterway.
As the three vessels transiting the strait were not heading to Iranian ports, they are not covered by the blockade.
US President Donald Trump announced the blockade on Sunday after weekend peace talks in Islamabad between the US and Iran failed to reach a deal.