Iran warned over Red Sea blockade

Jerusalem : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Iran that it would join military action to stop it blocking a key seaway after Yemen’s Iranian-aligned Huthi rebels attacked two Saudi oil tankers. Speaking at a navy ceremony late Wednesday, Netanyahu warned against any attempt to block the Bab al-Mandab strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and the southern entrance to the Red Sea.

On July 26, Saudi Arabia said it had temporarily halted all oil shipments through the waterway after the Huthi rebels attacked two of its tankers. On Wednesday, the Huthis announced a two-week pause in Red Sea operations.

“At the start of the week we witnessed a sharp clash with Iranian proxies who tried to obstruct international navigation in the straits at the entrance to the Red Sea,” Netanyahu said. “If Iran tries to block the Bab al-Mandab, I am convinced that it will find itself facing a determined international coalition to prevent this. This coalition would also include the state of Israel and all its arms.”

Iran is Israel’s main enemy and Netanyahu has repeatedly warned over what he sees as its expanding military presence in the region. Israel has spoken of quietly improving ties with Arab states who share its concerns about Iran. Only two Arab states -- Egypt and Jordan -- have signed peace treaties with Israel. The Huthis are fighting a Saudi-led military coalition that intervened in support of Yemen’s beleaguered government in March 2015.