The Bab el-Mandeb strait, a critical maritime corridor linking Asia and Europe through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, has moved to the centre of international attention as threats to navigation intensify. The Houthis' advance along Yemen's western coast and their approach to strategic areas and islands near the strait have raised fresh concerns over shipping security and global trade resilience.
On September 21, 2026, G7 foreign ministers called on Iran to end its arming of and support for the Houthis, condemning Houthi attacks in Yemen and against Saudi Arabia. They warned that the escalation threatens international trade and global stability, urging the Houthis to halt attacks and threats against civilian navigation and return to the political process.
The UN Security Council has adopted several resolutions addressing the Yemeni conflict, the arms embargo, and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb. Resolution 2216, adopted in 2015, established the framework for an arms embargo, while Resolution 2624, adopted in 2022, reinforced that framework by imposing a targeted arms embargo on the Houthis.
The escalation of Houthi attacks on commercial shipping from late 2023 transformed the security of the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb into a direct concern for international peace and security. In response, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2722 in 2024, demanding that the Houthis immediately cease attacks on commercial vessels and reaffirming navigational rights.
The Security Council has continued to address the issue, adopting Resolution 2739 in June 2024, which reiterated its demand for an end to the attacks and extended the mechanism for reporting them. This approach was maintained through 2025 and 2026, culminating in Resolution 2826, adopted on July 14, 2026, which extended the reporting mechanism on Houthi attacks against commercial vessels until January 15, 2027.
Despite these efforts, reporting is not prevention, and a more operational approach is needed to protect Bab el-Mandeb. This could involve tracing the sources and routes of weapons supplies, identifying and documenting violations of the arms embargo, strengthening maritime information-sharing, and ensuring that relevant intelligence reaches the Security Council in a timely manner.
The idea of an international force to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb deserves serious consideration under a clear mandate from the Security Council. Such a force would aim to protect commercial shipping and maritime routes, monitor emerging threats, and respond to attacks or imminent threats in coordination with Red Sea littoral states and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Key points
- The UN Security Council faces the challenge of protecting freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb as Houthi attacks intensify.
- The Security Council has adopted several resolutions addressing the Yemeni conflict, the arms embargo, and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb.
- An international force could be established to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb under a clear mandate from the Security Council.
