Bab al-Mandab Strait
The Red Sea's Southern Gateway
Bab al-Mandab ("Gate of Tears") is a strait separating Yemen (Arabian Peninsula) from Djibouti and Eritrea (Horn of Africa), linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and, beyond it, the Indian Ocean. It is a critical link in the Europe-Asia shipping corridor that continues north through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal.
- Approximately 20 miles (32 km) wide and 70 miles (112 km) long; the island of Perim (Mayyun), on the Yemeni side, splits it into two navigable channels.
- Around 8.8 million barrels of oil per day and roughly 10-12% of global maritime trade transit the strait — distinct from, and smaller in oil volume than, the Strait of Hormuz.
- The new 14-nation maritime alliance's confirmed members include Bahrain, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkiye, and Yemen.
● Tracked since July 31, 2026 · last seen September 19, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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