International Relations · 22 Jul 2026

Bab el-Mandeb Houthi blockade

Consider the following Assertion (A) and Reason (R): Assertion (A): The Houthi blockade at Bab el-Mandeb strait neutralises Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline as a genuine backup route around the Strait of Hormuz. Reason (R): The East-West Pipeline terminates at the Red Sea port of Yanbu, which is reachable via shipping routes passing through Bab el-Mandeb. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Assertion and Reason?

ABoth A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
BBoth A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
CA is true but R is false
DA is false but R is true

Tests the ability to evaluate a causal explanatory link between two facts rather than simply verifying each fact's truth independently - a genuinely analytical judgement, not recall.

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This question is based on: Houthis declare maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia at Red Sea gateway
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About this question

Why in news

Yemen's Houthi movement declared an immediate naval blockade of Saudi Arabia at Bab el-Mandeb, threatening the export corridor Saudi Arabia's Hormuz-bypass pipeline depends on, creating a rare dual-chokepoint crisis.

Why for UPSC

Assertion-reasoning format tests whether an aspirant understands the causal mechanism linking two facts, not just whether each fact is independently true - exactly the kind of layered understanding UPSC values in analytical current-affairs questions.

Prelims summary

Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline bypasses Hormuz by routing crude to Yanbu on the Red Sea, but Yanbu-bound shipping still depends on Bab el-Mandeb - so a blockade there neutralises the pipeline's value as backup.

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