The Bab el-Mandeb Strait — just 30 kilometers wide at its narrowest — links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, forming the southern gateway to the Suez Canal. It’s a critical artery of global commerce, where ships carrying oil, gas, and goods between Asia and Europe pass every day. Nearly 14 percent of the world’s maritime trade flows through this narrow stretch between Yemen, Djibouti, and Eritrea. Yet despite its immense importance, the Bab el-Mandeb often slips under the radar — until conflict