Bab el-Mandeb Threat Raises Global Trade Fears as Iran Expands Leverage. As tensions over the Strait of Hormuz continue, a second, equally critical chokepoint is entering the spotlight—and with it, a far more dangerous global scenario. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, is emerging as Iran’s next potential … Continue reading Hormuz was the warning. Bab el-Mandeb could be the escalation