Hezbollah Deputy Official: Ansarullah Is Ready to Close Bab el-Mandeb

The deputy head of Hezbollah's political bureau in Lebanon said on Saturday, August 22, 2026, that no Iranian fighters are present in Lebanon, while reaffirming the group's continued push for a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, according to Donya-e-Eqtesad. He also said Yemen's Ansarullah is prepared to close the Bab el-Mandeb strait if Hezbollah and Lebanon come under blockade. Bab el-Mandeb is a key route for oil tankers between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and any disruption there could raise global energy shipping costs.