Aden (South24 Center) 

The Houthi official, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, stated that the decision to stand militarily alongside Iran in the ongoing regional confrontation “has been made,” noting that the announcement of “zero hour” will occur at the appropriate time.

In an interview with Al-Mayadeen TV on Friday (March 13), al-Bukhaiti — a member of the Ansar Allah (Houthi) political bureau and the Houthi-appointed governor of Dhamar — said that what is happening in the region “is not an aggression against Iran alone, but a broader battle targeting the countries of the region,” calling for alignment with Tehran against the United States and its allies.

These statements come days after a speech by the Houthi leader, Abdulmalik al-Houthi, in which he confirmed that the group stands with Iran in the current war, indicating that his forces are “ready to move militarily if developments require it.”

In a televised speech, al-Houthi stated that “fingers are on the trigger,” adding that military intervention “could happen at any moment if circumstances necessitate it,” referring to the possibility of the group’s involvement in the confrontation that erupted following extensive US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

Despite these escalatory statements, the group has not yet officially announced its direct entry into the war.

In parallel, an Iranian official told Al Jazeera that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could be followed by the closure of “another strait,” a reference widely believed to mean the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which links the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and is one of the world’s most vital maritime corridors.

The Bab al-Mandab is a critical global maritime chokepoint, as a significant portion of oil and goods destined for Europe via the Suez Canal passes through it, meaning that any threat to navigation there could have far-reaching repercussions for the global economy.

Observers believe that raising the possibility of closing another strait alongside the Strait of Hormuz reflects the potential use of Iran’s regional allies, including the Houthis in Yemen, as a strategic pressure card in the escalating confrontation with the United States and Israel.

Political reports and analyses suggest that the Houthis could play a significant role in any potential regional escalation, whether by targeting navigation in the Red Sea or conducting long-range attacks, as occurred during the war in Gaza when the group announced missile and drone strikes toward Israel and the targeting of linked ships in the Red Sea.

Some experts believe that Iran may not be in a hurry to push the Houthis into immediate involvement in the confrontation, preferring to hold this military card for a more impactful moment during the course of the escalation.