Qatar warns against 'catastrophic' Bab al-Mandab closure

Qatar on Tuesday warned of dire consequences if the vital Bab al-Mandab waterway were to close, after a months-long blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and recent Houthi gains on the Red Sea coast.

Ibrahim Al Hashmi, Director, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said "I think what we can stress on is the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as it's very important to the state of Qatar and to the rest of the world. And Qatar is working diligently with its international and regional partners to reach a consensus and to push forward dialogue on that front."

He said a closure of the southern entrance to the Red Sea would be "catastrophic for the entire world while hundreds of casualties reported and military experts warning of a potential war of attrition near the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait.