With the Strait of Hormuz still effectively closed to commercial vessels, and oil and gas prices elevated, we turn our attention to the region’s other chokepoint: the Bab el Mandeb strait on the Red Sea. Thus far, there have been no attacks affecting this vital shipping lane, which allows Europe-Asia trade to bypass the Cape of Good Hope. However, Iranian proxies, the Yemen-based Houthis, have fingers “on the trigger”, and cannot be trusted to sit on the sidelines indefinitely. The Houthis have the ability to heavily disrupt Red Sea shipping with mines, missiles and drones, which would put Djibouti at greater risk of attack. The country hosts US, French, Italian, Chinese and Japanese military bases, raising the prospect of further escalation. In anticipation, Western navies are deploying to the region – the French have sent a dozen vessels as part of “purely defensive, purely escort mission”, while a US nuclear-powered super carrier entered the Red Sea last Friday. Africa may have no appetite for this war, but the continent could soon find itself directly affected by hostilities.