Bab-el-Mandeb is the southern gate of the Red Sea. Suez is the northern gate. You don’t need to own both doors to trap someone in the hallway - you just need to lock one. If the Houthis can effectively close Bab-el-Mandeb, they control whether ships can transit the Red Sea at all, which means they control the Suez route’s viability by default. That’s called chokepoint leverage, not “complete control of the whole Red Sea.”
Nobody said they planted a flag in Suez. They don’t have to. Egypt can own the canal all day — if the southern exit is a shooting gallery, the canal is a dead end.
So yes: technically you’re correct. Strategically, you’re arguing a distinction without a difference.
my point is that those chokepoints are mainly designed to let the oil go out, and saudi arabia is in the red sea. if they wanted to they could use the suez canal as a worldwide route for oil export, even if it would be more expensive. and the houthis said only saudi ships are not allowed to transit, so it’s not like the suez or bab-el-mandeb are closed right now, they need to keep the economic incentive for other countries.
so what i’m saying is that saudi arabia could sail from the west of its country, go north to the suez and export oil to the us for example. or why do you think that’s not possible? i mean i’m all for them to completely control the red sea, don’t get me wrong, it’s just i think there’s that exit still.
they also blew it up a few months ago, they rebuilt it. this attack was more serious but don’t doubt they’ll try to do the same again and this time they’ll be shipping thru suez.
I feel like you’re missing the point entirely.
Bab-el-Mandeb is the southern gate of the Red Sea. Suez is the northern gate. You don’t need to own both doors to trap someone in the hallway - you just need to lock one. If the Houthis can effectively close Bab-el-Mandeb, they control whether ships can transit the Red Sea at all, which means they control the Suez route’s viability by default. That’s called chokepoint leverage, not “complete control of the whole Red Sea.”
Nobody said they planted a flag in Suez. They don’t have to. Egypt can own the canal all day — if the southern exit is a shooting gallery, the canal is a dead end.
So yes: technically you’re correct. Strategically, you’re arguing a distinction without a difference.
my point is that those chokepoints are mainly designed to let the oil go out, and saudi arabia is in the red sea. if they wanted to they could use the suez canal as a worldwide route for oil export, even if it would be more expensive. and the houthis said only saudi ships are not allowed to transit, so it’s not like the suez or bab-el-mandeb are closed right now, they need to keep the economic incentive for other countries.
so what i’m saying is that saudi arabia could sail from the west of its country, go north to the suez and export oil to the us for example. or why do you think that’s not possible? i mean i’m all for them to completely control the red sea, don’t get me wrong, it’s just i think there’s that exit still.
they just blew up that saudi pipeline. cant transit anything like that
they also blew it up a few months ago, they rebuilt it. this attack was more serious but don’t doubt they’ll try to do the same again and this time they’ll be shipping thru suez.