Qatar Urges Dialogue to Ease Tensions in Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb

Qatar said on Tuesday it is pursuing diplomacy and dialogue to address disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and a recent escalation in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, warning that further threats to shipping would carry consequences for the entire world.

Speaking at a news conference in Doha, Ibrahim Sultan Al-Hashmi, director of the media and communication department at the Foreign Ministry, said the world is already suffering enough from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and cannot afford to see Bab el-Mandeb drawn into the same crisis.

"The whole world is going to suffer, and it's going to be catastrophic for the entire world, and we are already seeing the consequences for that," he said.

Al-Hashmi said Qatar is pushing for a peaceful resolution through dialogue, describing the effort as difficult but not impossible. "At the end of the day the only solution will be through the negotiation table," he said, adding that Doha is working diligently towards that goal.

The remarks come amid renewed fighting in Yemen, which is endangering civilians and threatening shipping through the Red Sea — a route that has grown more important because of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran on February 28, sparking the war.

The latest seizures by the Houthis, which follow their capture of the Red Sea port of Mokha and a strategic island last week, add further pressure on Saudi shipments and, in turn, on global oil supplies and prices.

Nearly 94,000 people have fled their homes in Yemen since fighting between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and government forces escalated this month, the International Organization for Migration said on Monday.