Cargo ships in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman's Musandam governance. (REUTERS)Saudi Arabia is reportedly urging the United States to lift its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and return to negotiations, warning that President Donald Trump’s move to choke off Iranian oil could provoke Tehran into disrupting other critical shipping lanes.The blockade, which took effect Monday after weekend talks and Trump’s threats of further bombardment failed to loosen Iran’s grip on Hormuz, is designed to squeeze an Iranian economy already battered by months of war. But Saudi Arabia has cautioned Washington that Iran could hit back by shutting the Bab al-Mandeb, the Red Sea chokepoint that has become the kingdom’s lifeline for oil exports since Hormuz was sealed off, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Arab officials.Yanbu workaround at riskIran closed the Strait of Hormuz at the beginning of the West Asia war by striking vessels in the waterway, knocking out roughly 13 million barrels a day of oil exports and pushing crude futures past $100 a barrel. Saudi Arabia has since clawed its exports back to the pre-war level of about seven million barrels a day by pumping crude across the desert to its Red Sea terminal at Yanbu, a workaround that collapses if Bab al-Mandeb is closed, the report added.White House holds the lineWhite House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended the blockade. “President Trump has been clear that he wants the Strait of Hormuz to be fully open to facilitate the free flow of energy,” she said. “The administration is in frequent contact with our Gulf allies, who the President is helping by ensuring that Iran cannot extort the United States or any other country.”Houthis back in the frameArab officials told WSJ that Iran is now leaning on its Houthi allies in Yemen, who control a long stretch of coastline along Bab al-Mandeb, to reprise the disruption campaign they waged through much of the Gaza war. Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency, close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has floated a Red Sea closure as a response to the US move.“If Iran does want to shut down Bab al-Mandeb, the Houthis are the obvious partner to do it, and their response to the Gaza conflict demonstrates that they have the capacity to do it,” Adam Baron, a Yemen expert at New America, a Washington-based policy institute, was quoted as saying.Gulf states push for talksGulf states don’t want the war to end with Iran still controlling Hormuz, but many, Saudi Arabia included, are pushing Washington to resolve the standoff at the table, regional officials said. Despite public posturing, both sides are engaging mediators and remain open to talks if each shows flexibility.Story continues below this adSaudi energy officials told WSJ that Riyadh had secured commitments from the Houthis not to target the kingdom or its ships transiting Bab al-Mandeb. But the kingdom has warned Washington that the situation is fluid and the Houthis could escalate, or begin charging transit fees on shipping, if Iran pushes harder.“That would then be a way for Iran to escalate back, saying that if you’re going to restrict our oil exports, we will then disrupt your Yanbu terminal exports,” said Erik Meyersson, chief emerging markets strategist at Swedish bank SEB.The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. 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