Yemen's pro-Iranian Houthi rebels have claimed attacks in the Red Sea on two Saudi oil tankers and say they will blockade the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a crucial passage into the Red Sea, as part of a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia.
- Gateway to the Red Sea -
Known as the "Gate of Tears" in Arabic, the Bab al-Mandeb strait sits at the southern tip of the Red Sea, connecting it with the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean.
About 100 kilometres (62 miles) long and 30 kilometres (18 miles) wide at its narrowest, it separates Yemen on the Arabian Peninsula from Djibouti and Eritrea on the Horn of Africa.
- Strategic trade route -
