Yemeni Navy Finds Houthi Naval Mine Near Bab el‑Mandeb Strait

The Yemeni naval forces announced today the discovery of a naval mine planted by Iranian‑backed Houthis in Bab el‑Mandeb, coinciding with the destruction of a booby‑trapped boat.

According to the 2 December Agency, the armed forces – the National Resistance, maritime sector – found a naval mine belonging to the Houthi militia in Bab el‑Mandeb today, Saturday, simultaneously with the destruction of a Houthi booby‑trapped boat. This development reveals the multiplicity of Houthi threats to the safety of navigation in one of the most important international maritime passages.

Government forces documented photographs of the mine and the coordinates of its location, confirming its presence in a vital area of the international shipping lane.

According to the statement, the naval forces took the necessary measures to secure the corridor and address the sources of danger, amid continued Houthi threats to navigation in Bab el‑Mandeb and the Red Sea.

While the Houthis did not issue an immediate comment, this development comes after areas near Bab el‑Mandeb have witnessed an escalation in recent weeks, as the Houthis attacked a Yemeni commercial vessel weeks after attacking an Indian vessel, and in conjunction with the escalation toward the coastal Mocha area near the international corridor.