Great Powers
JMIC keeps Bab el-Mandeb threat level at substantial
The Joint Maritime Information Center maintained a substantial threat level for the Bab el-Mandeb on Sept 27. It reported no confirmed attacks or disruptions in its reporting period, while vessel traffic remained below levels seen before a July 20 selective embargo.
Why it mattersPeople working on Saudi-linked ships face serious safety risks when traveling through the Bab el-Mandeb waterway.
How we got here
- The Houthis declared a blockade on Saudi-affiliated shipping transiting Bab el-Mandeb. Gov
- A Houthi official stated the group targeted only Saudi Arabia, excluding the United States and other nations in the strait. AP
- JMIC reported no confirmed attacks or disruptions in its period, said traffic remained below the July 20 selective embargo, and retained a substantial threat level. UKMTO
- Houthi forces captured Mocha, Dhubab, Perim Island, and nearby islets, consolidating control over Yemen's Red Sea coast and channel approaches. UKMTO
What's likely next
- Italy was preparing an independent naval mission to protect Italian commercial vessels; the cited September 17 report gave no deployment date.
All coverage
The coverage
- A new flash point in the Iran war: The narrow strait called the ‘Gate of Tears’Los Angeles Times · Sep 27
- Microsoft Word - Update 100 JMIC Advisory Note 27 September -FINALUKMTO
- 2026-013-Red Sea, Bab el Mandeb Strait, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Somali Basin-Houthi Attacks on Commercial VesselsGov
- Iran-backed Houthis capture Yemen’s Red Sea coastline on Bab-el-Mandeb StraitNBC News
- EU’s Kallas Says Two Countries May Send Ships to Counter HouthisGcaptain · Sep 28
- EU Needs More Ships for Red Sea; European Navies Adjust Hormuz DeploymentsUSNI News · Sep 28
Analysis & opinion
- Another Hormuz? What to Know About the Houthi Threat to the Red SeaCouncil on Foreign Relations · Sep 28
- Houthi Leverage over the Red Sea Escalates Threats for AfricaAfrica Center for Strategic Studies · Sep 22
- Iran Update, September 18, 2026Understandingwar
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